VIDEO: The Mikhail Prokhorov Press Conference That Killed The Carmelo Anthony Trade

After months of speculation and back-and-forth, stop-and-start trade talks between the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets involving superstar Carmelo Anthony, in a press conference Wednesday, Nets’ owner Mikhail Prokhorov ended the saga in a matter of minutes in what one writer called, “Perhaps the greatest press conference ever.”

Relive the video highlights after the jump.

As Prokhorov said at one point, “I never met with Carmelo and I never spoke with him. Maybe he sent me an email, but I didn’t see it. Or maybe the carrier pigeon got lost.” So... Yeah. He’s the best.

Try to read the quotes in your best Russian accent: “It has taken too long. It has been played out in public. And uncertainty has been taking a toll on the players. ... So, I think the management of the team did a great job, but there comes a time when the price is simply too expensive. I instructing [sic] our team to walk away from the deal. And the meeting, which was supposed to [be] held by our management, tomorrow, in Denver, with Carmelo Anthony, is hereby canceled.”

“There are a lot of talented [players] in the league,” he said. “But really, I am not ready to overpay. Because as soon you make mistake in NBA, you can wait for the next chance for the next five, six years.”

Don’t get me wrong; it’s likely that Wednesday’s press conference was just a show, whereby Prokhorov and the Nets pretended to be the ones rejecting a trade, when it was Carmelo Anthony’s refusal to sign an extension with New Jersey that really killed the deal. But if this was just a pre-emptive move to save face... Well, it worked. And once again, we reiterate Mikhail Prokhorov is totally awesome.

Will the Nets ever reignite trade talks if Carmelo says he wants to play in New Jersey and the Nuggets come back with an offer? “I don’t think in the subjunctive,” Prokhorov said. Awesome.