Nets' GM Sean Marks: Team will speak with players like Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving to get thoughts on next head coach

Team is not yet reaching out to candidates

4/2/2020, 2:03 AM
Dec 1, 2019; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) react in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports / Nicole Sweet
Dec 1, 2019; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) react in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports / Nicole Sweet

Nets general manager Sean Marks met with reporters via a conference call on Wednesday morning, and while the team isn't looking at coaching candidates just yet, Marks will seek players' input on who gets hired, whenever that may be. 

"We are not reaching out to anybody right now," said Marks. "That would completely not be fair to our group. I think what I'm seeing so far from how our group -- with Jacque (Vaughn) and his assistants -- how they're working through this and how they're reaching out to players and their collaborative approach within the organization has been great. I think it's extremely important that everybody has not only my support but the owner's support and front office's support during this time. That's our priority."

Marks also said that he anticipates collaborating with some of the Nets' star players like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to get their thoughts on who the next head coach should be, while also making a point that ultimately it's management who makes the final call.

 

SNY's Ian Begley reported in March that some veterans on the team were unsure if former head coach Kenny Atkinson was the right person to lead the team to an NBA title.

Atkinson and the team parted ways suddenly on March 7, less than a year after Atkinson led the Nets to a playoff appearance, and with the team currently in position for another playoff run.

Marks said then that the decision to move on from Atkinson had nothing to do with the players on the team.

"This didn't involve the players," Marks said. "In this matter, it was really a discussion between Kenny and myself. We brought in ownership when we needed to and we arose at this decision."

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