When Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov fired coach Lionel Hollins and reassigned general manager Billy King in January, he insisted the team was just one or two players away from competing for a title and this was just a small reset.
Unless those players are Stephen Curry and LeBron James, Brooklyn is a long way from a title, and this isn’t a reset, but a rebuild. How soon Prokhorov realizes that will determine what kind of path the Nets take at this crossroad.
Brooklyn still needs a general manager and permanent coach, and they’re going into the second half of the season 14-40, having lost Jarrett Jack for the season and still awaiting the return of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
That record — and their lack of draft picks — might be why Spurs assistant GM Sean Marks reportedly turned down the job. Not surprisingly, Prokhorov said he never offered it. But either way, this club needs leadership and direction, and can’t afford to get the GM-coach dynamic wrong again.
“We need a new culture,” Prokhorov said. “We need all the team, ownership, GM, players, to be on the same team.
“Ownership, GM, front office, players, we all need to be on the same page. … There are a lot of good players, but for them it’s really not easy to play in New York. It’s a real beast. You need to be tough, and you need to have a passion to be in Brooklyn.’’
With the season tipping off again Friday at home against the Knicks, here are some of the key questions facing the Nets in the second half.
Who will be the next GM?
This isn’t just the elephant in the room, this is issue Nos. 1, 2 and 3, the all-consuming question facing Prokhorov.
Marks reportedly had qualms and opted against taking the job. Even optics aside, it’s a huge blow for Brooklyn. Marks is a fast-riser that Spurs architect R.C. Buford said “is going to be a star.”
Where do the Nets turn from here?
Former Raptors exec Bryan Colangelo, Denver’s Arturas Karnisovas and Houston’s Gersson Rosas all would be candidates if Marks doesn’t end up with the job.
“I definitely want them to take their time and pick the right guy for the job, make sure we have the right guy and it’s a person we all believe in as one cohesive unit. Then we go from there and get a coach,’’ Thaddeus Young. “But I don’t think it should be rushed or pressured or anything. Right now the season is what it is and we have lots of time to worry about that. Take our time and pick the right [one].’’
What has Prokhorov learned?
When you go for broke, you just might end up that way. They mortgaged their future to take their shot at the title and never got past the conference semis.
“If [we had] one big mistake … it was a lack of strategy. You need to know what is now, what is tomorrow, but also it’s also very important what is in the medium term and long term,’’ Prokhorov said. “My passion to be a champion as fast as possible. … I will continue to [try] hard, but with long-term vision.’’
Who will still be here in the future?
Joe Johnson, 34, is a prime buyout candidate. He cryptically has said he had no idea what his future holds, and still said that a day before the trade deadline.
“I don’t really know,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of hard [to ignore]. It is what it is. It comes with the territory.”
With no GM in place, Young likely is staying despite interest from Toronto, saying, “It’s good to be wanted, but at the end of the day I’m here, ready to play. … I’m committed here and I wanted to be here.’’
The most important development?
That would be the continued growth of the young talent. Hollis-Jefferson’ surgery was 10 weeks ago Wednesday, and he is moving along well in his recovery. Chris McCullough returned to the court two games ago, and Markel Brown is playing the best ball of his career.