Tag: Sean Marks

Nets’ Sean Marks believes Ben Simmons is set for a big year

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks believes that Ben Simmons is set up for a big year as he seeks to get back from injury again.

Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons is one of the players that the franchise will be depending on next season as he will most likely be the starting point guard. Granted, Brooklyn could also start Dennis Schroder if he isn’t traded prior to the start of the 2024-25 season, but Simmons is heading into the last year of his contract.

“By all accounts, he feels good and is trending in the right direction,” Nets general manager Sean Marks recently said at the Las Vegas Summer League when asked about the status of Simmons. Simmons has been recovering from a nerve impingement in his back that prematurely ended his 2023-24 season, but it seems like he has turned a corner in his recovery.

“So, I know he wants to get out there. And, this is a big year,” Marks explained. “A big year for us because he’s part of a franchise, for sure. But, it’s a huge year for Ben. He’s young enough that he can get back to his old self.”

For Simmons, the main thing is remaining healthy as he has only played in 57 games in the past three seasons that he’s been with the team. With him slated to make $40.3 million this upcoming season, Simmons would do a lot of good for himself if he played in most of the game and played well as he there could be money at stake for him, whether he’s in Brooklyn next season or not.

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Nets GM Sean Marks discusses team’s mindset heading into rebuild

During Sunday’s summer league against the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets general Sean Marks gave his take on the current rebuild.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of a rebuild now that they have traded Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in exchange for three players and as many as five first-round picks. Brooklyn is currently partaking in the Las Vegas Summer League and as such, general manager Sean Marks stopped by on the ESPN broadcast on Sunday to answer some questions about the rebuild.

“When you move somebody like Mikal, those decisions aren’t quite as simple as maybe they appear to be,” Marks said on the broadcast when asked about the process of the team as it heads through this rebuild. At one point, the Nets were one of the many teams hoping to land a star player either in free-agency or through a trade, but they ended up pivoting to a rebuild in the hopes of drafting their next superstar.

“Obviously, we thank Mikal for his time here,” Marks said. “But, it fits us better for our timeline and how we’re going to build sustainably and hopefully keep a lot of flexibility over these next couple of years here.”

Prior to trading Bridges to the Knicks, the Nets were in a tough spot as they missed the entire postseason last season with Bridges being the primary scoring option despite a breakout year from Cam Thomas. It became clear that Brooklyn needed to add more talent to the team if they wanted to make it back to the postseason.

However, at this very moment, the focus is on the younger players on the roster with the summer league in action right now. “Looking at some of the young guys out on the court now and adding them to our roster and building through the draft for a while,” Mark said as part of his explanation of how the near future looks for the Nets as a franchise.

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Nets GM confirms that Mikal Bridges trade was tied to Rockets’ draft deal

Mikal Bridges being traded to the Knicks was directly connected to the Rockets-Nets draft deal, as confirmed by Brooklyn GM Sean Marks.

With an emphasis on pick quantity, quality, and a more diversified portfolio stretching out in further years, the Houston Rockets recently traded a pair of draft assets from the Nets (2025, 2026) back to Brooklyn for four future first-round picks and swaps from the Phoenix Suns (2025, 2027, and 2029) and Dallas Mavericks (2029).

Thanks to that trade, Brooklyn now controls its first-round draft capital in 2025 and 2026. Combine that with the recent trade of Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks, and many NBA observers expect the Nets to be among the league’s worst teams in the upcoming 2024-25 season — and thus, in the running for a high draft pick and the chance to select an elite 2025 prospect, such as Cooper Flagg.

It all leads to a reasonable question: Could Rockets general manager Rafael Stone have stayed the course with his previous draft portfolio while potentially adding another top prospect (such as Flagg) to an improving team in Houston (41-41)?

The answer, most likely, is no. Now that all trades are official, Nets general manager Sean Marks commented on the thought process. Here’s what Marks said, via James Herbert of CBS Sports:

They’re absolutely connected. I think when you look at doing the deal we did with the Knicks, that was really only possible by controlling our own destiny a little bit more… where we get our picks back from Houston.

Translated, had the Rockets stayed the course, the Nets would have kept Bridges and likely been a respectable team. Brooklyn went 32-50 last season, which was only the ninth-worst NBA record, and they had the non-taxpayer mid-level exception — offering a starting annual salary near $13 million — to further add to the roster.

It’s still unlikely that the Nets would have been a playoff team, in that scenario, but it’s probable that their pre-lottery odds slot would have been toward the back half of the order (as opposed to the top). Granted, it would still be possible for the Rockets to move up, but the draft odds would not be nearly as favorable as the current scenario in which the Nets do not have Bridges and are fully rebuilding.

Thus, with peak upside limited, that’s what led the Rockets to prioritize an additional quantity of picks that go out in further years. From there, Brooklyn and Houston found an agreeable structure to best suit the preferred timeline of both teams, and the rest is history.

As for 2025, given the strength of the Western Conference and Kevin Durant’s ongoing injury history, it’s not implausible that the current first-round swap right that Houston owns with the Suns could be comparable in value to the previous swap with the Nets (with Bridges, which would have been the case had Houston stood pat).

So, as it pertains to Flagg, the chances are likely reduced but not completely implausible. Fans in Houston will simply need to cheer for the downfall of Phoenix, now, as opposed to Brooklyn.

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Nets GM Sean Marks says Mikal Bridges didn’t request a trade

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks went on the record Monday to say that Mikal Bridges did not request a trade to the New York Knicks.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have gone through quite the shift in their organizational direction after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks recently in exchange for three players and a haul of first-round picks. Following Bridges’ trade to the Knicks, there were reports that Bridges had wanted to go to New York, something that the man behind the move addressed on the record.

“I think it’s been reported that Mikal wanted to leave or requested a trade. That could not be further from the truth,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said to the media on Monday following Brooklyn’s practice in preparation for the Las Vegas Summer League. After the trade was initially reported on June 25, Ian Begley of SNY reported that Bridges informed the Nets earlier that week that he wanted to be a member of the Knicks.

“I think that’s just not in Mikal’s character,” Marks explained. “It’s not who he is. And, that definitely did not happen. But, he was told by me when I called him up and let them know that we’re at the 2-yard line.” Bridges has not addressed the media since he was traded to New York so it’s possible that he can shed more light on what happened behind the scenes.

Either way, Bridges is with the Knicks now and that means that the Nets can begin their rebuild without having to worry about competing for the playoffs with a roster that needs more talent. Prior to the trade, it appeared as if Brooklyn was trying to acquire another star either through free-agency or through trade to pair with Bridges in the pursuit of getting back to the playoffs.

Now, Marks gets his second try at rebuilding the Nets and the hope this time is that the future version of Brooklyn is viable for more than just a couple of seasons. Marks’ willingness, or New York’s determination, to make the Bridges trade happen has set up the Nets to be able to build the future the way they want to.

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Nets GM Sean Marks explains trading Mikal Bridges to Knicks

After the Brooklyn Nets’ summer league practice on Monday, general manager Sean Marks explains why Mikal Bridges was traded to the Knicks.

NEW YORK — On June 25, the Brooklyn Nets made a decision that shocked the NBA world when they traded Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks and subsequently triggered a rebuild. Up to that point, Brooklyn had reportedly been treating Bridges as virtually untouchable, but it looks like the Knicks’ offer was too enticing.

“I think it’s numerous factors, frankly; you’re weighing up the situation we find ourselves as a team, as an organization, the timing of such,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said on Monday during his press conference following Brooklyn’s summer league practice. Marks, in collaboration with governor Joe Tsai, seemingly decided that holding out hope for a star to come to Brooklyn to play with Bridges was not worth passing up on one of the biggest hauls in NBA history.

“It’s a difficult decision because Mikal was a focal point of this organization for the last year since we did the trade,” Marks said about how important Bridges became to the organization after he was acquired as part of the Kevin Durant trade during the 2022-23 season. “So, not an easy decision, but at the same time, when you have an offer like we did from New York, I think that sets us up on a very, very clear direction and pathway to continue to build this team with sustainable success, and that’s the ultimate goal here.”

The Bridges trade became official on July 6 and the final return was essentially five first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and three players including forward Bojan Bogdanovic. It took awhile for the deal to become official because the Knicks were trying to find a way to maintain some financial flexibility without trading Miles “Deuce” McBridge and that’s how the Nets ended up with Shake Milton and Mamadi Diakite.

After the trade was initially reported, there were rumors that Bridges wanted to be on the Knicks possibly as an attempt to reunite with three of his former college teammates that play for New York. Either way, it seems that Marks was willing to hold onto Bridges until an offer came along that made him think things over.

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Nets officially announce Nic Claxton signing; GM Sean Marks issues statement

The Brooklyn Nets officially announced on Saturday the signing of center Nic Claxton.

The Brooklyn Nets have officially committed to a full rebuild of their franchise after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for three players including Bojan Bogdanovic and a haul of first-round picks. Brooklyn’s second order of business was keeping center Nic Claxton with the organization for the long-term and they finally can make that move official as well.

On Saturday, the Nets issued a press release that they have officially re-signed Claxton to a multi-year contract. As most Nets fans know by now, the reporting around the signing is that Claxton is signing a four-year, $100 million deal with $96 million guaranteed.

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Claxton’s contract includes $97 million in guarantees and $3 million in potential bonuses. These bonuses could be tied to anything, but for Claxton, they are more likely related to any statistical feats that he achieves along with minimum games played thresholds since he struggled with injuries early in his career.

Either way, Claxton is someone that the Nets were smart to keep around given how much he has grown in the past couple of seasons as he was more available. He ended the 2023-24 season averaging 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 62.9% from the field and 55.1% from the free-throw line.

Nets general manager Sean Marks issued the following statement after Claxton’s was officially announced:

“We are thrilled to have Nic remain in Brooklyn as a core player for our team going forward. Nic has made strides in his game in each of his first five seasons, developing into one of the top defenders in the league. With his outstanding work ethic and dedication, we know that Nic will continue to be relentless in his efforts to maximize his talents and expand his game. Off the court, Nic and his family have embraced being a part of the Brooklyn community and we look forward to the impact he will continue to have on our borough.”

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Could the Nets trade back into the 2024 NBA Draft?

The Brooklyn Nets do not have any picks in the 2024 NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean that they will stay that way until the draft is over.

As most Brooklyn Nets fans know by now, the organization does not have any picks in the 2024 NBA Draft due to the trade with the Houston Rockets to bring James Harden to Brooklyn. Despite that unfortunate reality, there is a possibility of Brooklyn trading back into the draft.

“I think we look at the draft the same way every year. It’s take the best available,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said recently when asked about his philosophy for this upcoming draft. While Brooklyn doesn’t have any picks at the moment, Marks did not rule out trading into the draft if a player they want is there.

Marks continued by saying “If there’s somebody in there that, wow, they’re slipping, can we get in there at that particular pick?” For a Nets team that finished this season with a disappointing 32-50 record, getting as much talent in the door is paramount for a franchise that is trying to find its way back to championship contention.

When it comes to acquiring a pick in this draft, it’s possible that the Nets could move into the second round using cash considerations. Golden State Warriors rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis was originally drafted by the Washington Wizards in the 2023 NBA Draft with the 57th overall picked, but was traded to the Warriors on the night of the draft in exchange for cash.

However, because of the new CBA, NBA teams are valuing second-round picks more than they used to so it’s harder to pull off nowadays. Either way, Brooklyn still has plenty of opportunity to get a second-round pick and possibly, a first-round pick.

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Nets’ Sean Marks gives thoughts on Cam Thomas’ growth

After his impressive 2023-24 season, Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has been catching the eye of everyone around the NBA who see his growth.

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas had himself an incredible 2023-24 season as he went from microwave scorer off the bench to a potential All-Star someday. Thomas’ explosion this past season was in more than just scoring and was enough for him to receive the seventh-most votes for the Most Improved Player of the Year award.

“Look, I think Cam had a heck of a year. I’m not saying anything that anybody didn’t see for themselves,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said recently when asked about how he viewed Thomas’ performance this season. Thomas, 22, averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 44.2% from the field and 36.4% from three-point land.

“I really was intrigued about the responsibility Cam took in his own development, in terms of we all knew he could go get a bucket,” Marks explained. “We all knew the confidence that he plays with which, some of that you just, to be quite honest, it can’t be taught, right? So, it’s innately who he is and how he’s built. But it’s him being a facilitator out there, him playing with others, him making other people look good.”

Like Marks said, Thomas has had to have a hand in his own development, as do all players, but he took it to the next level by improving his overall game to the point that he became an invaluable member of the rotation. After spending the first two years of his career coming off the bench (124 games played with six starts), Thomas started 51 of his 66 games played this season due to how much the team needed him on the floor.

Of the 21 players who suited up for the Nets this season, Thomas was first in points per game, sixth in assists per game, third in minutes per game (31.4), and third in free-throw percentage (85.6%). It’s safe to say that he will be a core member of the team’s future moving forward.

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Who could some of the candidates for the Nets’ front office be?

After the departures of Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel, here are some potential candidates for the Brooklyn Nets’ open front office spots.

The Brooklyn Nets have plenty of matters of address this offseason as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-24 season in which they finished with a 32-50 record. One of the interesting aspects to watch for Brooklyn will be how the organization fills some of the front office vacancies after the departures of Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel.

In a recent episode of the HoopsHype podcast, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto and Brian Lewis of the New York Post discussed various topics regarding the Nets’ offseason. One of those topics was who would be some potential candidates for Brooklyn’s open front office positions after Peterson and Gisriel left for the Charlotte Hornets.

Peterson was an assistant general manager for the Nets since 2019 and Gisriel held various roles within Brooklyn’s front office since the 2013-14 season when he began as an intern in Basketball Operations. So far, all of the reports indicate that those are the only people who have left the Nets’ front office since the conclusion of this past season.

“I’m keeping an eye on several candidates, including Pelicans executive Bryson Graham as a potential candidate if they go outside the organization to fill the role,” Scotto said. Graham is currently an assistant general manager for the New Orleans Pelicans and has been with the team since 2010 when he started out as an intern.

Based off what Scotto said, it seems like the Nets could look outside of the organization as well as inside to fill the vacated roles. “If the Nets look internally, two candidates who could make sense would be BJ Johnson and JR Holden,” Scotto explained.

Johnson, currently the Senior Director of College Scouting and Player Evaluation, has been with the Nets since 2016 when he began his tenure with the team as the Player Development Coordinator before being promoted to his current role heading into last season.

Holden, general manager of the Long Island Nets, has been with Brooklyn since 2019 when he was hired to be the Director of Player Personnel before being elevated to his current position heading into the 2022-23 campaign.

It’s yet to be seen where the Nets will go when it comes to filling those vacancies, but some additions should be coming for Brooklyn over the course of this summer.

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Nets’ Sean Marks has some front-office vacancies to fill

After the departures of Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel, Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks has some front office roles to fill.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets are in the beginning stages of a pivotal offseason for them as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-24 season. Like most teams, Brooklyn has to figure out how its going to fill vacancies within the organization, especially the front office.

“I couldn’t be happier for Jeff and Ryan,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said recently about Jeff Peterson and Ryan Gisriel, two members of Brooklyn’s front office that left to take executive roles with the Charlotte Hornets. Peterson was the assistant GM for the Nets for the past four seasons while Gisriel had been in various front office roles for Brooklyn since the 2013-14 season.

“For Jeff to go and run his own program there (Charlotte Hornets). He’s well deserving and (it’s an) incredible opportunity. We were counting down the days this was going to happen for the last two or three years. Tremendous guy, we wish him nothing but the best. Both he and Ryan,” Marks said.

Once Mitch Kupchak, Charlotte’s head of basketball operations since 2018, stepped down from his role in February, there were reports of who would be considered to assume his role and Peterson was one of those names being floated around. Now that Peterson and Gisriel are gone, Marks will have to look for at least one person to become his second-in-command, so to speak.

“As far as replacing these guys, I think it’s always important to have a best-available list. Whether you’re looking at players or whether you’re looking at staff. So, we look at maybe who’s out there and who we could potentially bring in, but also our own staff here,” Marks said.

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