After reassigning Billy King a little more than a month ago, the Brooklyn Nets had hoped that they would be able to have a new GM in place before the trade deadline. The deadline is just a day away, but they have made some progress as they have offered the job to San Antonio Spurs assistant GM Sean Marks, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Marks works under R.C. Buford, one of the most respected general managers in the NBA. Marks is a New Zealand native who played in the NBA for 12 years with six different teams. He wasn't a great player, as he has career averages of 2.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game, but there is something to be said for his longevity in the league.
After retiring as a player Marks joined the Spurs as an assistant coach next to Gregg Popovich where he served for just one season. The Spurs won the NBA championship that season, and Marks moved to the position of assistant GM the following year and still holds that position now. The Spurs have reportedly been grooming Marks for a bigger role in their organization, but the Nets love their model and the way they have sustained success. The Nets' hope is that they can bring in Marks and he can help bring some stability and credibility to the franchise.
Just because the Nets offered Marks the job doesn't mean the search is over, as there is no guarantee the two sides will agree on a deal, according to J.R. Wilco of SB Nation. Marks is 40 years old and has an extremely bright future as an executive, so he may not see the Nets' job as one that is appealing, especially as his first GM job. The Nets are in a bad way, and whoever takes over as the GM will have a lot of work to do to bring the team back to respectability. There are some who believe this big of a rebuild may not be what Marks is looking for right now.
If Marks does not accept the job, two-time NBA Executive of the Year Bryan Colangelo, Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas and Rockets Vice President of Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas are all considered finalists for the position. The timing of the potential hire likely means the Nets will not be all that aggressive at the trade deadline, but it will put the new GM in a position to see the team for 20-plus games and start reshaping the roster in the offseason.
