Rumors

Timing is everything. In life, and in the Giannis Antetokounmpo chase. The two-time MVP has long been Brooklyn’s white whale, with The Post having reported since 2023 that GM Sean Marks has been hoarding assets in case the Bucks star ever became available. Now that Antetokounmpo is finally on the market, the Nets are committed to a rebuild. But the timing — and the tank — may not keep the Nets from at least making an offer for Antetokounmpo, the dream target long atop their wish list. Multiple sources have told The Post that the Nets planned to tank for two seasons and be viable in Year 3.

New York Post

Brian Lewis: Nic Claxton on if he goes to #Nets GM Sean Marks about trade rumors: "I've almost been traded before. Sean, he has an open-door policy. You can always go talk to him whenever you want; but that's for my agents to take care of. I'm just here as long as I'm here." #NBA

Twitter

It was the easiest “yes” of his career after Riccardi was denied 89 times by NBA teams for three years straight, he told The News in 2022, before former Nets executive Bobby Marks offered him the unpaid role. The big move coincided with three consecutive seasons of losing for the then-New Jersey Nets, but it was valuable on-the-job training for Riccardi, who learned the ropes under Marks and current general manager Sean Marks [no relation]. Once his internship ended, he officially joined the organization in 2010 as a basketball operations assistant. Over 13 years, Riccardi gained high-level experience in a variety of scouting and management responsibilities for the Nets, who, like the Mavericks, underwent significant changes. Brooklyn relocated from New Jersey and had three ownership changes, four general managers and 11 head coaches (six full-time and five interim), which is how Riccardi crossed paths with Kidd and Andrew Baker, now the Mavericks’ vice president of basketball strategy and analytics.

Dallas Morning News

Lucas Kaplan: asked Sean Marks about how the Nets felt about and/or handled Michael Porter Jr.'s summer of media appearances and quotes: "Those conversations that myself and a group have had with Michael will remain internal. I think this is, as Jordi alluded to, a new environment for him, a new market, new expectations, new roles, both on the court and in the locker room for him. "So I think he's, one, finding his way. I think, you know, we'll just basically leave it at that. But I mean, he knows where the organization stands on certain issues and topics, and you know, this market is a little different than where he was."

x.com

Lucas Kaplan: Sean Marks on Cam Thomas: "It's part of the business - maybe the ugly part of the business - when you can't find a common ground. But at the same time, how he's developed, and the hours that he's put in the gym, not only here but on his own, speaks volumes."

bsky.app

Ian Begley: Nets announce Michael Porter Jr./Cam Johnson trade that includes DEN’s unprotected 2032 first round pick going to BKN. GM Sean Marks says in statement that Porter Jr. adds “shooting”, “floor spacing” and a “presence on the boards.” Marks also offers sincere thanks to Johnson:

Twitter

Lucas Kaplan: Sean Marks, today: "Go out and compete. We don’t put a limit on 'don’t do this' and 'hopefully you don’t win these amount of games' or anything like that. That’s never crossed our lips here. It is go compete and do the borough proud."

x.com

Said Marks: “The scouting work that we’ve done on these guys throughout not just this year but leading up to this year would lead us to believe it’s a versatile class, right? They can play multiple positions. As Jordi just mentioned, multiple ball-handlers. I think to be able to come in here and limit guys and say ‘you can only fit into this category or this position,’ you’ve heard all the cliches, position-less basketball and so forth. But you want high IQ guys. That’s what we’ve got here.”

NetsDaily

Lucas Kaplan: Egor Demin got a lot of chuckles, saying "I believe we can really find good offensive and defensive variety ... There's going to be rotations where we just switch everything," Then looks around to Jordi and Sean and says, "Well, it's not my decision anymore."

Twitter

Lucas Kaplan: "If we didn't have confidence in our [player development] staff, we wouldn't have taken five players," says Marks

x.com

According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, executives and agents around the NBA do not understand why Marks is so pleased. Windhorst said people had been texting him after the first round to mock the Nets. “I’ve got some people telling me some things about Brooklyn. People are making fun of this draft group,” Windhorst said. “I’ve got people saying to me, executives and agents, they’re like, ‘Man, I was watching them play three two-way guys this year so that they could clap for taking guys in the 20s.’ He’s like, ‘These two-way guys might be just as good as the guys that they’re taking.’ I don’t know anything about it. I’m just saying what people are saying.”

Larry Brown Sports

NetsKingdom: Brian Windhorst on ESPN mentions execs and agents were contacting him making fun of the Brooklyn Nets draft room. Thoughts?

Twitter

Brian Lewis: #Nets GM Sean Marks on the common thread in Brooklyn's record 5 first-rounders: "I'm thrilled with the group we got tonight...We've got some young guys who play the right way, move the ball the right way, and have some untapped skills there." #NBA

Twitter

Erik Slater: Cedric Coward told me he worked out for the Nets in late May: “Brooklyn’s a great place, great people. Obviously they have a vision in where they want their team to go, talking to Coach Fernandez and Sean Marks.” pic.x.com/XGXLHVzSZ3

Twitter