Nets owner Prokhorov 'will not give up control of the team'

Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov certainly doesn't sound like someone looking to cash out.

Ahead of the team's 2014-15 home opener Monday, Prokhorov spoke at length with the media. Not surprisingly, the rumors that he's looking to divest himself of at least a part of the Nets came up, and Prokhorov was adamant that any changes would be at the minority level.

"I will not give up control of the team," Prokhorov said, revealing that he's received multiple proposals from those looking to buy minority shares of the team. He also said that he plans to own the team for a long time.

Prokhorov declined to comment specifically on minority owner Bruce Ratner reportedly looking to sell his share, plus his majority share in Barclays Center.

The Russian billionaire was also asked about the team losing a reported $144 million last season, an obscene amount that dwarfed the losses of any other team in the league.

"It's not a big deal," Prokhorov said. "I'm ready to spend. We need success now but we also need to be building for the future."

Must be nice to lose $144 million and shrug. It's also nice to have an owner so willing to spend, and it doesn't sound as if this one's going anywhere anytime soon.