Berman shed some more light:
Walsh steals Russian center from Prokhorov
By MARC BERMAN
last updated 9:12 AM - Jul 12, 2010
Knicks president Donnie Walsh kept his courting of 7-1 Russian center Timofey Mozgov top secret for one chief reason.
According to a source, Walsh figured if word got out, Nets Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov would try to steal him.
But Walsh beat Prokhorov in his own backyard, making the Nets owner's July even more miserable.
As reported in the Sunday Post, Walsh will complete the signing today of the 24-year-old mystery man who wowed the Knicks in a late May workout. Mozgov flew in from Russia under of a cloak of secrecy and the Knicks have waited anxiously for the clearance papers from FIBA and his Russian team that will arrive today. Mozgov was in Las Vegas a few days ago meeting with the Knicks coaching staff at the summer league. He flew back yesterday and practice with the club, but probably won't play.
Saturday morning, Knicks officials, when contacted by The Post, confirmed they were close to signing a 7-foot Russian center but declined to confirm the name, saying they did not want another team to get interested.
According to a source, Mozgov's contract of 3 years/$9 million is padded because Mozgov still has to pay his Russian team, Khimki nearly $2 million for his buyout. The Knicks paid the other $500,000 – the maximum they are allowed. The signing gives the Knicks enough cap room to sign just a minimum-wage player.
The Knicks' secrecy demonstrates much they like him and their feeling he flew under the radar of most NBA clubs. Knicks European scout Kevin Wilson was on top of the case and Knicks executives Glen Grunwald and John Gabriel flew to Russia to see him play this season.
"We do like him a lot,'' Walsh said yesterday. "We think he's a very good prospect with great promise to be a very good player. Plus, he's 7-1.''
Walsh likes he can score inside, outside, run the pick-and-roll, finish nicely and block shots. "Mike (D'Antoni) runs a lot of pick and rolls,'' Walsh said. "He's not a post guy but he's got good moves and can play with his back to the basket.''
Walsh said when he was eligible to be drafted three years ago, he was "too young. Big men in Russia aren't finished products at 21.'' He also was playing on Khimki's second team back then.
He played on the Russian National Team under famed coach David Blatt but did not have an especially strong past season. One Russian journalist Alexander Chernykh wrote to The Post yesterday, "Everybody expected Mozgov to have a better season, but it didn't happen. So his NBA deal with the Knicks comes as a surprise.''
The Knicks wanted another center for their roster as they look to trade Eddy Curry.
