Russian's purchase of Nets no big deal

LONDON – Although Andrei Kirilenko is hoping for a Russian revolution in the wake of Mikhail Prokhorov’s recent purchase of the New Jersey Nets, it’s LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal that are on his mind ahead of the start of the NBA season.

Kirilenko, who plays for the Utah Jazz and will be headed to Europe for a pair of preseason games, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Tuesday that O’Neal’s move to join James with the Cleveland Cavaliers is going to cause havoc around the league.

“That’s the poison union,” Kirilenko said. “I mean poison in a good way. They’re going to poison the rest of us.”

The Jazz will play the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 6 in London, and then face Real Madrid in the Spanish capital two days later.      (AP)