Nets common supervisor Sean Marks nonetheless expects his staff to make the playoffs.
Speaking to reporters within the speedy aftermath of two seismic trades that shipped each superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving out of Brooklyn, Marks expressed optimism in regards to the future and disappointment concerning the previous.
He conceded the famous person period in Brooklyn was a failure, or that “it didn’t work,” and stated he’s excited to get to work evaluating expertise, now overseeing seven first-round draft picks over the subsequent handful of seasons to retool a roster with younger, budding expertise.
The Nets traded Irving to the Dallas Mavericks for Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, a 2029 first-round choose and a pair of second-rounders on final Friday. In the wee hours of Thursday morning, about 14 hours forward of the three p.m. Eastern Time NBA commerce deadline, they struck a deal that despatched Durant to the Phoenix Suns for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, first-round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029, in addition to swap rights to an extra first spherical choose.
Marks acknowledged the issue in buying and selling for the very famous person participant he spent years attracting by constructing Brooklyn up as a premier vacation spot free of charge brokers. It’s the top of an period in Brooklyn, however the starting of the subsequent.
”Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. It’s all the time tough once you’re buying and selling a participant of that stature and that ilk; very tough. My job as a GM and our job as a entrance workplace is to attempt to usher in that caliber of expertise and so forth. So these choices aren’t simple,” he stated. “But at the same time, to be able to move Kevin to a place where he will have success and they will enter into their championship window; and for us to bring back these two players in that particular trade and the draft assets, that gives us a clear pathway now to continue to rebuild and maybe not set the reset button so to speak because we have a group in there that’s very competitive and wants to get out there and wants to compete at the highest level, but this has given us a clear pathway on how to continue this.”
WHAT ABOUT THE FANS?
Numerous Nets followers voiced frustration each on social media and in texts to the Daily News. That frustration was rooted within the steep value of season tickets, which had been promoted utilizing photographs of each Durant and Irving, together with guarantees of competing for a championship, that are lengthy gone now that the celebrities have been traded.
Marks expressed disappointment for these followers who re-upped on season tickets, however shared optimism for the quick and long run future.
”That’s truthfully robust, however my aim right here, and our aim is from possession all the best way down, is to place one thing out on the ground that everyone could be happy with,” he stated. “You can see constant effort, you’ll be able to see availability and you’ll see a aggressive spirit, everyone enjoying an ideal model of basketball.
“So I think with this group of young men, you will certainly see that. And as they grow and as they get some sort of continuity with each other, and also playing under [head coach Jacque Vaughn’s] style, I think it’s a perfect fit, and I think we’ve all seen what JV has been able to do. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”
THANK YOU KD
While Marks didn’t point out Irving within the assertion that introduced the cope with Dallas, he included a thanks to Durant within the assertion that introduced the deal to Phoenix.
Marks expounded on Durant’s influence since becoming a member of Brooklyn in the summertime of 2019. Durant climbed to 14th place on the NBA’s all-time main scorer’s record earlier than his season was derailed by an MCL sprain in his proper knee in early January.
“[Let’s] realize what Kevin did for this franchise and thank him. Without a doubt, he’ll be missed,” he stated. “We’ll feel his presence in here because what he brought to the — whether it was the locker room or the practice facility — that work ethic, and that competitive spirit. I’ve honestly never seen anything like it. I think that’s contagious. It’ll linger here with many of our guys for sure for a long time.”
Marks recommended he didn’t try to persuade Durant to remain. It was Durant’s second commerce request from Brooklyn after the ultimatum he delivered over the summer time.
”I believe there’s a restrict, proper? I imply, you’ll be able to definitely attempt to persuade guys and you place your greatest foot ahead and say right here’s what the roster seems to be like, right here’s what we’re making an attempt to do,” he stated. “But at the end of the day, I think this works out for all parties included.”
A FRESH START
Marks is likely one of the higher expertise evaluators holding the final supervisor place within the NBA. He drafted Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas.
Those had been all picks used later within the draft, as a result of on account of the Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett commerce, the Nets didn’t personal their very own first spherical picks.
They nonetheless don’t, having traded them to Houston within the James Harden deal, however they’ve one of many largest stockpiles of draft belongings after buying 4 first-round picks from the Suns within the Durant deal.
“We’ll go about building it a little bit different way because the last time I took over I didn’t have anything,” he stated. “So it definitely looks different what we’re starting with right now. But again, I don’t want to say this is not a total retool. We have guys in that room that I’m extremely proud of and they’re going to compete. I look forward to seeing them on the floor. So you know the additions that we have made to the team over this last week. I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com