Update: It looks like Sean Marks might become the Nets general manager after all.
The Nets interviewed Marks, as well as many other candidates, for the vacant general manager position, and reportedly offered him the job Tuesday night.
But after it appeared that Marks had passed on the position early Wednesday, and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said no formal offer had been made — and joked he’d never heard of Marks in the first place — Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reported late Wednesday night that Marks and the team were still negotiating a potential deal.
Via The Vertical:
It is still unclear whether Marks wants to trade a promising future with the Spurs and other potential general manager opportunities for the massive overhaul awaiting the next top basketball executive in Brooklyn.
The Spurs have significant plans for Marks’ future and are working on increasing his financial package should Marks decide that he wants to stay with the franchise, league sources said.
The Nets are expected to move on to Denver Nuggets assistant general manager Arturas Karnisovas should Marks turn down the job, league sources said.
ESPN.com reported that Marks is “wrestling mightily” with the decision.
Prokhorov denied the job was ever offered to anyone at the team’s practice facility unveiling Wednesday afternoon; when asked specifically about Marks, Prokhorov said: “I’ve never heard this name before.”
Marks is a seasoned candidate and a fast riser with the San Antonio Spurs. He has held multiple positions in their organization, including assistant coach, director of player personnel, and assistant general manager.
Prokhorov’s joke, if it’s not blatantly obvious, shouldn’t be taken at face value; he obviously knows who Marks is, and his comment was firmly tongue-in-cheek. He made the same joke about the Knicks minutes later.
The flippant response to a twice-interviewed professional in your field didn’t read well, and may not foster a good relationship should the two meet at a table again down the road.
Prokhorov expects the process to take another week, with assistant general manager Frank Zanin taking phone calls.
“If we have some small good pieces, maybe we can do something (before the deadline), but we are very passive because we’re not in a hurry,” Prokhorov said. “We have long-term vision.”
The general manager job has been vacant since January 10th, when then-GM Billy King stepped down and was re-assigned within the organization. Prokhorov referred to King as a “trusted friend,” but added that he would have no role in hiring a new GM or head coach.
The trade deadline is Thursday at 3:00 P.M. EST.
