New owner Joseph Tsai wagers China, Durant will ‘Net’ him a win

Enlarge Image

Taiwanese-Canadian businessman Joseph Tsai bought the Brooklyn Nets for a record price — despite the fact that the team had the worst attendance in the NBA last year.

It’s a gamble — but one that Tsai could win, experts said.

Tsai, the co-founder and vice chair of Alibaba, became the new owner of the Nets on Friday in a deal that cost $2.35 billion over two years— the most ever paid for a sports team.

The median value of an NBA team today is about $1.75 billion, sports bankers said, which means Tsai paid a hefty premium even though the Nets barely make a profit.

Tsai, 55, went forward with the deal anyway because he wanted a New York City team and it was the only one for sale, a…