Report: Nets to retain GM, 'cast a wide net' in head-coaching search

A couple of months ago, there was some speculation that Sean Marks‘ job with the Nets might be in jeopardy amid a disappointing 2023-24 season which saw the team dismiss former head coach Jacque Vaughn. At one point in mid-December, the Nets were 13-10. After Friday’s loss to the Knicks, they’re now 32-49 with one game left in the regular season.

However, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post, Marks will return as Brooklyn’s general manager next season. Multiple league sources tell Lewis that Marks will be in charge of hiring a new head coach, with the team expected to “cast a wide net” in its search.

“Joe and I have always been in complete partnership,” Marks said in February. “And it doesn’t mean we always agree. I mean, you have to have good discussions and robust discussions, but Joe and I will make this decision, and he has given me no reason to believe that I won’t be able to make that decision.

“By the end of this, I have no doubt that we’ll come and find the best person fit for this job.”

Marks has been Brooklyn’s GM since 2016. The Nets had made the playoffs each of the past five seasons prior to 2023-24, but were quickly eliminated in the first round on four of those occasions.

Interim head coach Kevin Ollie is expected to receive consideration for the permanent position. The Nets have gone 11-17 under Ollie, a longtime former NBA player who took over for Vaughn a couple of months ago.

“Yeah, I’m the interim, so I’ve got to find out if I’m keeping the job first,” Ollie replied recently to a question from The Post about his status. “We’re going to have some exit meetings here shortly, probably Monday or Tuesday and then we’ll talk. I’ll talk with Sean, our medical staff.

“We do everything as an organization, we do everything as a community. We make sure we have the same voice, surround-sound system with our players, making sure we’re saying the same things. So we’ll have those talks.”