NBA: 5 NBA Executives with the most to prove in the future
By Pete Sawan
Sean Marks – Brooklyn Nets
Now, let’s take a trip up I-95 and discuss one of the league’s biggest success stories in the Brooklyn Nets and Sean Marks. The Nets have been known for a few things over the past decade, most of them have not been good. Once the team moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn, the Nets were in a weird position.
They had Deron Williams and Brook Lopez, but the rest of the team was sub-par. After that comes Joe Johnson, and the roster is beginning to look promising. But then, the trade to end all trades happened, when the Nets trade a slew of first-round picks and players for the aging Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Let’s just say, things didn’t go well.
After that, the Nets brought in Sean Marks in 2016, which confused the majority of NBA fans. But, Marks had a background in the San Antonio Spurs organization, making him a favorite among the NBA faithful. It was a mixed bag in terms of reactions, but for the most part, there was a ton of intrigue.
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Under Marks, the Nets have begun to flourish. While the Nets did not have a ton of assets, they were able to hit on players who many would not have expected would make it in the NBA. Some of those players include the likes of Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris. On top of that, Marks has hit on Caris Levert and Jarrett Allen, making the depth situation that much better.
But, the move that might have saved the Nets franchise was trading for D’Angelo Russell back in 2017. D-Lo turned into a prime-time player during his 2018-2019 run with the Nets, ultimately, allowing them to deal him to the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade sort of deal for Kevin Durant. Along with Durant came Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan, ultimately setting the Nets up for a seriously interesting 2020-2021 season.
So, as long as the Nets can stay the course, Sean Marks could be in the running for Executive of the Year. The moves he has made have brought the Nets back from the dead. Ultimately, it will come down to execution in order to see whether Marks’ vision will become a reality.