Ouster of Nets GM Sean Marks is not happening despite the Big 3 debacle

Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks built the 3 most dynamic players in NBA history and arguably in any team sport, and then saw it fall apart in his hands without ever showing a championship.

This in itself is a valid reason for expulsion.

But Marx, it is said, is not going anywhere.

A New York Post report on Wednesday claimed that Marks is expected to stay and oversee the rebuilding of the Nets from the ruins of their Big Three era.

The Big 3 breakup in Brooklyn has been criticized in some quarters as the NBA’s worst flop in decades, and there was some speculation that Marks might end up being ousted.

But with the Nets winning three straight games, a senior league source told The Post that “the ownership has full confidence in this front office to build for the future.”

Marks or Nets owner Joe Tsai had no comment, but multiple sources have confirmed the expected return of the New Zealand-born executive. Another source described Marx and Tsai as being “steady on foot”.

Brian Lewis via New York Post

Marks returned to where he started seven seasons ago when he took on the challenge of building the nets back up from the rubble of another failed superteam experiment with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pearce driving through the hills.

Coming from the San Antonio Spurs, a model of league stability and culture, Marks has made the Nets attractive to superstars with their smart drafting and solid player development, producing Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving avoided the New York Knicks and instead signed with them. James Harden followed through with a blockbuster trade using LeVert, Allen and Dinwiddie as trade pieces.

Harden did not last long, exacerbated by the unavailability of Kyrie Irving due to his refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine. He made his way to Philadelphia for an underwhelming deal led by a disgruntled Ben Simmons, who had been a huge disappointment in Brooklyn.

Durant sought a deal last summer and demanded the sacking of Marks and former head coach Steve Nash while Irving’s contract extension hit a dead end. Both came back, and for a while, it looked promising – winning 11 straight matches, 18 of 20 – after a rocky start that got Nash fired.

It didn’t last long.

Durant fell to another MCL injury.

Irving asked for a deal after his contract extension demands were not met. Durant quietly followed suit.

By the trade deadline, the Nets had gone from title contender to marginal playoff team in the blink of an eye.

But unlike when he started, Marks has more at his disposal to start rebuilding faster.

On top of acquiring rising star Michal Bridges, he also won back the draft capital he had ripped off in the Harden trade, totaling 11 first-round picks and eight second-round picks over the next seven drafts.

In the eyes of Nets owner Joe Tsai, Marks is still the best man to clean up a mess that’s seen as a clean sweep in the summer of 2019.

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