Calling Brooklyn New Jersey was about the only misstep Sean Marks made in his introductory press conference as the Nets’ general manager. Smooth, engaging and convincing, it was easy to see why owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s search committee unanimously picked him to fix its broken team.
Marks was first reported as a candidate by The Post on Feb. 9. And it took an extra year, more money and added autonomy to pry him away from San Antonio, where the 40-year-old New Zealander was the assistant GM and part of the league’s gold-standard team.
“It was a difficult decision,’’ Marks admitted before his Nets rolled past the Knicks, 109-98, in his first game as general manager. “Any time you’re having to get out of your comfort zone isn’t easy. But at the same time, my time spent with Mr. Prokhorov, Dmitry [Razumov] and the rest of the Nets group here during the interviews led me to believe we have a similar vision.
“I’m privileged to have had the opportunity in San Antonio to have been around some really good staff members, coach [Gregg Popovich] and R.C. Buford, tremendous mentors for me. … And, to be honest, it’s time for me to see if I can do this.’’
Brooklyn is banking on it. Razumov said the Nets interviewed eight candidates, including other finalists Bryan Colangelo and Arturas Karnisovas. But they picked Marks, a former Knicks draft pick who won an NBA title with the Spurs as a player, another as an assistant coach and eventually became San Antonio’s assistant GM — because “the culture of the team Sean is coming from was too persuasive.’’
But that was why the Nets picked him. Marks still had to pick them, and had very real concerns and questions. Popovich told the San Antonio Express News he felt “trepidation” for his protégée, and for good reason. The Nets entered Friday 14-40 and without control of their own first-round pick until 2019.
Perhaps most concerning, Marks was coming from a cohesive culture in San Antonio, whereas the Nets not only have been unstable, but also have given the appearance (accurate or not) of meddling from 4,800 miles away in Moscow. Prokhorov admitted his impatience in mortgaging the future hurt their present and insists it was a mistake from which he learned. Marks likely will hold him to that.
“I’m not sure I needed to be convinced. It’s like any negotiations, they go back and forth. However I’m extremely happy with what I heard, otherwise I wouldn’t be here. At the end it’s going to be my vision,’’ said Marks, who called it a collaborative effort and humorously added, “I hope I can capture all I’ve learned and bring it to New Jersey. I have a clear vision of what I’d like to implement here.’’
Despite introducing Marks to the team, Prokhorov didn’t speak to the media. But Razumov said the search for additional staff will be headed by Marks. And Marks said the coaching search is going worldwide.
“There’s a list of coaches out there and we’ll be looking worldwide. We won’t limit it just to the U.S. or anywhere,’’ said Marks, who added they will expand the entire front office. “The entire organization staff will be expanded, without a doubt. Whether it’s scouting, front office — we got a D-league team, that staff will have to be built — there will be staff members that’ll be added to this.’’
The idea of a foreign coach broaches the question of Ettore Messina, a 56-year-old Italian who worked with Marks in San Antonio and worked for Prokhorov when he coached the Russian billionaire’s CSKA Moscow squad to a Euroleague title.
Forward Andrea Bargnani (illness) was inactive against the Knicks, his former team.