Fansided

Sean Marks and the Brooklyn Nets are liberated by their limitations

By Wes Goldberg

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 19: Newly hired Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks answers questions during a press conference before the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks at Barclays Center on February 19, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 19: Newly hired Brooklyn Nets General Manager Sean Marks answers questions during a press conference before the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks at Barclays Center on February 19, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

America didn’t win its independence with big ships, bigger guns or the biggest army. The colonists fought using Guerrilla warfare, its only option against the more imposing — and classically advantaged — British. The colonists shed the responsibility of traditional military habits, pivoting instead to the only strategy they had. The Brits weren’t prepared for this and, because of it (and many other reasons), acquiesced the colonists their independence. Limitations can be liberating.

I’ll go out on a limb here and compare the Nets to the American Revolution. General manager Sean Marks is their George Washington.

Without draft picks and without gravitas to attract free agents, the Nets were left hapless. Rebuilding, it seemed, would be impossible. They burnt the furniture in an ill-fated attempt to hop-step their way to title contention. The infamous trade with the Celtics for the aging Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce at the expense of all of the draft picks was Billy King’s last major act as then-general manager. He was fired, the trade didn’t work out and the Nets fell face-first into obscurity.

Read More: Crowning the All-Marcus Banks Too-Good For Summer League Team

But limitations can be liberating. In this case, liberating from the classic team-building strategies of drafting franchise players and signing All-Stars. One route forces a team to be so bad as to pick early in the draft — a strategy exploited by the 76ers and Sam Hinkie’s process. The other puts a team at the mercy of free agents — the only kind of basketball players who can make their own decisions about where they would like to work.

Both require mastery in some way. The former, a masterful eye for talent. The latter, skills of charm and negotiation. They also pit teams against each other, fighting for the same resources. The 76ers and Suns will try to out-lose each other to the bottom, while the Heat and Celtics battle for the summer’s top free agents. The Nets are not competing with anyone.

Marks — who in 2016 left a sweet gig as assistant general manager of the revered Spurs to take on the responsibility for turning around the Nets — has cornered a market.

When the salary cap spiked at a record rate in 2016, teams overspent on free agents. Buyers remorse was almost immediate. The Lakers learned they had made a huge mistake by giving Timofey Mozgov $64 million. Other teams needed to get in on the action, but already tied up their cap space. This year, the Raptors were desperate to trade DeMarre Carroll in an effort to improve a team in the midst of a competitive window.

The Lakers are a free agent destination, but only as long as they have cap space. Players will sign with winning teams like the Raptors, so long as they can get paid. Almost no one is playing in Brooklyn by choice right now given their situation. Cap space for them isn’t as valuable as it is for the Lakers, but it’s the only resource they have. So Marks traded it for a different resource: young players and draft picks.

He wiped away Los Angeles’ Mozgov misstep at the price of one D’Angelo Russell. A team without draft picks landed the second player selected in the draft two years ago. Marks helped Toronto at the price of their 2018 first and second round picks. Marks was able to acquire the two things he didn’t have: a prospect with star potential and draft picks. Other teams might have been able to acquire Russell or Toronto’s picks, but other teams didn’t have otherwise useless cap space — and the Nets still have more. They are a maid service ready to clean up the mistakes of other organizations.

The Nets have created their own economy. They are the only market trading wheat. If you want wheat, you have to talk to the Nets.

Some teams — like the Magic and Kings — pick in the lottery every season but to no avail. Others strike out on star free agents and, instead of using that space like the Nets might, they’ll sign their Plan Bs and Cs. Where they end up is somewhere in the middle, good enough to compete for the playoffs but without a star to contend for titles. Mark Cuban once said, “The worst position you can be in the NBA is to be mired in mediocrity.” He obviously didn’t consider the Nets, circa 2015. Bad, without the means to get better. No hope.

Next: More options for the Warriors redemption machine

There is only one winner to each NBA season, but there is a lot to fight for along the way. A lot for fans to cheer for. The Nets won’t be contenders any time soon, but an idea can inspire change. In Brooklyn, that idea is hope. For the first time in a long time, they have something to look forward to.

Home/NBA