Mikhail Prokhorov, the Russian billionaire-owner of the New Jersey Nets, wasn't kidding when he told LeBron James that he could make him a billionaire. He told James that if were to join the Nets, alongside part-owner and rap mogul Jay-Z, that James would get a cut of the assets and luxuries that Prokhorov enjoys outside of the states. That is, the places where Prokhorov became so incredibly rich that he could do things like jet-ski stunts just for fun on days he wants to get out of the office.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports has a great story on the subject here. (Wojnarowski is a must read for NBA coverage).

If this is indeed the case, then the Nets suddenly launched themselves back into the LeBron sweepstakes in a big way. Of course, it all comes down to, again, what exactly James wants to accomplish. Does he want to win at all costs, or does he want to, yes, win but not at the expense of making money and growing his riches outside of the basketball world.

When the clock struck midnight ET on late Wednesday, meetings were scheduled and BlackBerrys were sure to be buzzing. But that doesn't mean we are going to find closure on LeBron for some time. I'd be fairly shocked if he committed to any team before July 8, the first day that players can officially sign with teams.

Sure, there will be some news and nuggets. Joe Johnson is reportedly close to accepting a max-deal from the Atlanta Hawks worth approximately $119 million. Talk about the winner of the free agency bonanza. 

Amar'e Stoudemire, a significant piece in relation to the futures of James and Dwyane Wade, met with the Phoenix Suns in Los Angeles and reportedly had very productive talks. No deal was offered, but ground was made. Stoudemire has other teams on his meeting list, most notably the Miami Heat.

Word out of Miami is that Wade is no longer solely concerned with luring LeBron to South Beach to play with him. Wade wants a big man, first and foremost. Whether thats Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer or somebody else remains to be seen. 

LeBron and Bosh have been strung together throughout this whole ordeal. Bosh said to be "waiting on LeBron" before deciding where he wants to play. But LeBron stated that he wasn't locked into Bosh, that there's no agreement or guarantee that the two will go to the same team this summer, and is open to other big men.

But with Jay-Z and Prokhorov ready to offer James millions and millions of dollars, business ventures and exotic beaches, the Nets look to be a big-time player. LeBron is mature, but he still hasn't reached the stretch run of his twenties. How wide will his eyes get when Prokhorov lays out a plan to put the world in his palms? We'll see, unless LeBron suddenly takes on Kobe Bryant's DNA and becomes solely obsessed with winning.

Either way, LeBron is sure to get what LeBron wants.