Tag: Sean Marks

Nets’ Sean Marks has a strong message for the fanbase

The 2023-24 season was not a good one for the Brooklyn Nets, but general manager Sean Marks has a strong message for the loyal fanbase.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a disappointing 2023-24 season in which the team finished with a 32-50 record despite looking like a potential playoff team in the beginning of the year. Despite how this past season ended for Brooklyn, a prominent member of the organization has some important words for the fans.

“I think the message to the fans is a level of competitiveness,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said after head coach Jordi Fernandez’s introductory press conference on Wednesday. Brooklyn has an important offseason ahead as they have to figure out who will be on the roster next season after hiring Fernandez to lead this next era.

“They’re gonna see a team out there that’s gonna compete on a nightly basis,” Marks explained. ” I think the fans got behind a group in the early days here that they weren’t household names, but they came in and they brought it every single night. I think that’s important. Fans got behind the stars as well.”

The Nets began this season with a 13-10 record that included impressive wins over current playoff teams like the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns, just to name a few. There was optimism from everyone following Brooklyn given that they had some close losses to teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, giving hope that the Nets could still be a playoff team without any superstars.

Unfortunately, from the point of beating the Suns on Dec. 13 to the All-Star break, Brooklyn went just 8-23, including some demoralizing losses to the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks (in which the organization decided to sit most of the rotation players with lingering injuries), and a 50-point loss at the Boston Celtics.

The 136-86 loss at the Celtics on Feb. 14 essentially cost then-head coach Jacque Vaughn’s job, allowing Kevin Ollie to take over as the interim head coach and show what he had to end the season. The hope is that the hiring of Fernandez along with moves during the summer can set the franchise up for a bounceback.

“So, we can take a variety of different pathways. We have to be prudent, patient, systematic with who we go after, when we go after them, and just make sure we do it the right way,” Marks said on what the mission is for the team this offseason.

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Nets’ Sean Marks gives insight into team’s draft process

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks gave some insight into the team’s draft philosophy on Wednesday as he spoke to the media.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets are heading into a new era of the franchise as they are moving forward with Jordi Fernandez as the head coach for next season and beyond. While Brooklyn still has to navigate plenty of other matters during this summer, it seems like the franchise has an idea of what to do for the 2024 NBA 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 on Brooklyn’s draft philosophy following Fernandez’s introductory press conference on Wednesday. The Nets currently have no picks in the upcoming draft thanks to their deal with the Houston Rockets in January 2021 that sent James Harden to Brooklyn.

“If there’s somebody in there that, wow, they’re slipping, can we get in there at that particular pick,” Marks said in terms of what may encourage the Nets to get back into the draft. “That would be important for us just to go and say, ‘Hey, we, we got the 20th pick, we got the 44th pick.’ That doesn’t do us any good. It’s for us this year, it’s gonna be more strategic.”

Brooklyn is coming off a season that saw them finish with a disappointing 32-50 record despite beginning the 2023-24 season with a 13-10 record that made many believe that the Nets could make it back to the playoffs. However, Brooklyn went 19-40 the rest of the way and their first-round pick for this draft is a lottery pick that surely would help this franchise.

This upcoming draft class is viewed as one of the weaker years in recent memory, but being able to add young, cheap talent to a team that is still rebuilding following the breakup of the Big 3 would still be beneficial. The good news for the Nets fanbase is that Marks is not opposed to getting back into this draft if the opportunity is there.

“No, I would not rule out acquiring anything. If there’s a guy there that you like, you’ve gotta have the conviction to go after it and, and go after them,” Marks said.

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Nets’ Sean Marks gives update on Ben Simmons’ recovery

After Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez’s press conference on Wednesday, general manager Sean Marks gave an update on Ben Simmons.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets are moving into a new era of the franchise as they have hired Jordi Fernandez to be the team’s head coach moving forward. Fernandez let his personality shine through during his introductory press conference on Wednesday while general manager Sean Marks had to answer some familiar, tough questions.

“Ben’s down in Miami, rehabbing now from surgery,” Marks said about Ben Simmons after Wednesday’s press conference to introduce Fernandez to the media. The Nets announced on Mar. 14 that Simmons “underwent a successful microscopic partial discectomy” to address the nerve impingement in his back that plagued most of his 2023-24 season.

“All signs point towards him being available for the start of next season,” Marks said of Simmons, which tracks with what the team said back in March in its statement about Simmons’ recovery. “With Ben, it’s very unfortunate. We looked like we were a completely different team when Ben was healthy out there. So, it’s paramount that we get him back and we get him healthy.”

Simmons, 27, played just 15 games this season as he dealt with a nerve impingement in his back that forced most of his missed games and also limited his effectiveness on the court. Not only has Simmons played just 57 games in the past three seasons, but he has also collected just over $106 million in that time span.

To be fair, when Simmons signed his current five-year, $177 million contract in July 2019, he was coming off a 2018-19 season that saw him make his first All-Star appearance after averaging 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game for the Philadelphia 76ers.

However, it’s safe to say that with Simmons scheduled to earn $40.3 million next season, the Nets need him to be more available and get somewhat close to how he played prior to coming to Brooklyn. “I think Ben wants it just as much, if not more than anybody else. But, time will, time will tell on him and how he progresses through summer. There’s no reason to think he won’t be though,” Marks said.

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Nets’ Sean Marks on trade deadline: ‘these days are never easy’

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks answered questions from the media following Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

NEW YORK — The Brooklyn Nets have made it through another NBA trade deadline and while it looked like no moves were going to be made, Brooklyn eventually got going. The organization ended up trading away Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale while bringing in Dennis Schroder. Nets general manager Sean Marks spoke on what the trade deadline is like.

“These days are are never easy,” Marks said during Thursday’s 118-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a result of Thursday’s trade, the Nets said goodbye to Dinwiddie, O’Neale, and Harry Giles III after he was waived following the organization trading Dinwiddie to the Toronto Raptors. Marks seemed disappointed in the trades, especially when it came to Dinwiddie, but said that’s the business.

“I look forward to those opportunities, but at the same time, it comes with people leaving your Nets family and that’s never the easiest,” Marks said. “It’s been really special to have Royce and Harry and Spencer here for the times they were here and they’re fine, young gentlemen. We wish them nothing but the best.”

One of the priorities for Marks and the Nets was maintaining future flexibility as the team goes through this rebuild. “I think we go into these days always thinking about future flexibility, trying to maintain some some level of sustainability when we’re looking at how’s the team looking this year, how’s it going to look in 6 months time from now, how’s it going to look in three, four years,” Marks said.

As it stands, the Nets are in a position where they will be trying to rebuild after the Big 3 era officially ended last season while trying to provide a winning product on the court. Despite this goal, Brooklyn is 20-31 heading into Friday’s games and currently stands on the outside looking in with regards to the play-in tournament.

It has been know that the Nets, like most rebuilding teams, will be looking to find their next star player or two so that they can get back to their winning ways. Marks did not give a concrete timeline of how long he expects this rebuild to take as he said that things could change depending on what players become available in the future.

As expected, there is a sentiment within the Nets fanbase that the Nets currently do not have a direction and are just stuck somewhere in the middle of a rebuild and competing until they figure it out. Marks essentially called on those fans to trust him like they did when he first became the GM almost a decade ago.

“I would hope those fans seven or eight years ago was sitting here going ‘they probably didn’t really know what the direction was then.’ I have utmost faith in this group of players and this staff to go out there and put a sustainable product on the floor,” Marks explained.

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Nets’ Sean Marks believes team has the ‘right people’ to build good culture

Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks said on Tuesday that he believes that the team has the ‘right people’ on the roster to build a good culture.

The Brooklyn Nets have seen the roster change significantly over the past few seasons as the team was trying to win a championship during the era led by superstars in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. However, with the drama that was surrounding the team during that era, some wondered if the culture needed to be reset.

Addressing the media on Tuesday during a press conference, Nets general manager Sean Marks was asked if the roster has the players necessary to foster a culture of winning and camaraderie. The pretext to the question was that after Brooklyn was swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, Marks said that the culture “no doubt” took a step back and that it had to be built back up.

Last season, despite trading Durant and Irving near the February trade deadline, the Nets still managed to make the playoffs as the sixth seed despite fielding essentially a brand-new team following the trades. Unfortunately, the result was still the same as they were swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.

Taking the playoff sweep into account one week before training camp is slated to begin, Marks confidently believes that the team has the right players in place to create a better culture:

“I think our culture is continually evolving. I would totally agree that we have the right people to continue to drive that culture. It starts right here and it continues to go. And, it goes with the players that not only are on our team, but that we’ve (also) acquired.”

https://www.youtube.com/live/Mr8FU68Kqag?si=_PFUZBg4S6ADulfW&t=562

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Nets’ Sean Marks vows ‘due diligence’ when asked about possible trade

Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks addresses the potential trade rumors by essentially praising the current roster while leaving things open.

The Brooklyn Nets have had one of the quietest off-seasons in quite some time now that the superstar era is over and done with. While Brooklyn appears happy with the current roster and is ready to move forward, there are some who are still wondering if the Nets are looking to make any major moves.

Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks was asked about the reports over the summer suggesting that the Nets were one of the teams that could be interested in being the third team that helps facilitate Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard getting traded to the Miami Heat. With recent reports suggesting that any teams are joining the sweepstakes since Portland and Miami cannot come to a deal, there is interest regarding whether is one of the teams trying to swoop in for Lillard or another package.

There haven’t been any indications on how strongly Brooklyn is interested in the entire ordeal or if they are still interested at all after Lillard essentially eliminated them from his wish list. Marks answered the question in a general manner that seems to imply that Brooklyn is satisfied with the current roster, but that anything can change during the season:

“Every different example, every different opportunity, we’ve got to take a look at. So, as it stands right now, I think we’re excited about going into camp with this group. It’s pro Sports and as I’ve said before, things do change over the course of a year, two years and so forth. I mean, there’s been no restrictions on how we build.”

https://www.youtube.com/live/Mr8FU68Kqag?si=dyfkSrv5b0D47Tmy&t=291

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Nets’ Sean Marks: Ben Simmons is in ‘great physical shape’ and wants to play

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks said on Sunday that Ben Simmons is in great physical and that he wants to start playing again.

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LAS VEGAS — After the Brooklyn Nets‘ dominant 98-80 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday in the NBA2K24 Summer League, Nets general manager Sean Marks spoke with the media to give an update on guard Ben Simmons. It looks like things are trending up for Simmons in his rehab from a nerve impingement in his back.

“Yeah, he’s not doing three-on-three or five-on-five yet,” Marks said when asked for a status update on Simmons. Simmons was ruled out in March for the rest of the season after the nerve impingement was found in his back. “I mean, I was down there (in Brooklyn) two weeks ago with the training staff and saw the progress and happy to report that he’s in great physical shape.”

Simmons was trying to rehab in time to play for the Australian National Team in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but the Nets recently announced that Simmons will not participate so that he can be ready to go for Brooklyn’s training camp in September. Not only is Simmons progressing physically, it looks like he’s starting to get the itch to play again.

“Mentally, he seems to be really chomping at the bit to get back out there. So again, you know, we’ve got time this is not something we’re gonna rush him back to play five-on-five in the next couple of weeks or so. But, he’s progressing. He’ll be ready to go,” Marks explained.

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ACC players taken in the 2023 NBA draft

Have long-term hopes for any of these players?

It’s no secret that the ACC is in a rough spot right now. Over the past couple of years, the conference’s quality of play has suffered, and the NCAA Tournament selection committee has taken notice, giving the power conference only four at-large bids in each of the past two years.

Now, we’re seeing the lull carry over to the NBA draft. A conference that typically sees one of its own go off the board within the first four picks had to wait until the 12th pick in 2023. In fact, that was the only lottery pick for the conference.

So it stands to reason that there isn’t a lot of hope for this ACC class of incoming NBA players, but stranger things have happened. As we just saw with the champion Denver Nuggets, even a diamond in the rough on draft night can turn into a franchise-altering player. It could happen again with one of these players:

Brooklyn Nets ‘could look to pursue’ Warriors’ GM Bob Myers

The Nets could go after Golden State Warriors GM Bob Myers if Sean Marks is not brought back this summer, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

The Brooklyn Nets could be looking to add Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers to their front office this offseason, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. According to Siegel, sources have communicated to him that the Nets could pursue Myers if he and Golden State fail to come to a contract extension this summer.

Myers has been the GM of the Warriors since April of 2012 and since then, he has made the moves that have allowed Golden State to be a dynasty. Starting with the 2013-14 season, the Warriors have won four championships and have been to the NBA Finals six times during that span.

With this report coming out, the elephant in the room is what Brooklyn chooses to do with its current general manager, Sean Marks. While Marks’ contract status is unclear at this moment, it was reported in July of 2022 by multiple sources that Marks had reached a contract extension with the organization before various Nets sources denied the contract extension report, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported this past March that Marks is expected to remain with Brooklyn for next season.

At this moment, Marks and the Nets organization have an important offseason ahead of them. They will have to think about what direction they want to take the franchise in as well as make decisions on restricted free-agent Cam Johnson and injured star Ben Simmons. If Brooklyn does not bring back Marks, Myers may be on his way to the Nets.

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Nets’ GM Sean Marks has to prove he’s the right man for the job this offseason

Nets GM Sean Marks has an important offseason ahead of him.

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks has been the primary decision-maker for the franchise since February of 2016 after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs. When he came to the organization, Brooklyn was in the midst of a 21-61 season and at the time of Marks’ hiring, the team fired head coach Lionel Hollins and general manager Billy King.

After going through two seasons where the Nets were a combined 48-116, Marks and then-head coach Kenny Atkinson were able to guide the team to a 42-40 record in the 2018-19 season before losing in the first round of the playoffs. Marks was the executive who brought Brooklyn back to prominence after the failed moves by King.

However, after the failed superstar experiment of trying to pair Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, the Nets and Marks find themselves in the same place as they were years ago before Durant and Irving came to town. Marks has proven that he can be the head man of a rebuild, but it remains to be seen if he can do it again and sustain the team long enough to win a championship. Mike Bisceglia of the “Bad Weather Fans” podcast (sponsored by DraftKings) gives his take on the situation that he believes is a reflection of what Nets fan are thinking:

“Sean marks was a great GM before Kyrie Irving got to the Nets. When Kyrie Irving got to the Nets, he (Marks) became a terrible GM. Now, you want to say that’s Kyrie fault or you want to say that Sean marks fault? I’ll leave that up to the audience to make their own rational decision, Kyrie Irving is now gone. Let’s see what kind of GM Sean marks is with Kyrie Irving out. Is he the GM that was pre-Kyrie that people were like, this is incredible? He rebuilt the team with no draft picks. Or, is he the GM that added Kyrie Irving and the team was a major disaster? They made bad moves with smaller role players, didn’t work out and ultimately got blown up. Or, does Sean marks deserve a chance to do the rebuild, part two? I’m curious to see what he does now without Kyrie. Pre-Kyrie, he was brilliant. With Kyrie, he was terrible. We’ll see what he does now in part three.”

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