With the stash of assets acquired in the Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Mikal Bridges deals, Nets general manager Sean Marks doesn’t think the franchise will require a lengthy rebuild, according to Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.
“This build, do I think it’s going to take time? I mean, I think we’ll be strategic in it,” he said. “But I do think being in this market, with this amount of draft assets, we’ve done it before. And so again, I think, not that it’s going to be expedited by any means, but I don’t think it’s a long process, either.”
Marks clarified that Bridges did not request a trade, adding that New York’s offer was so strong, he couldn’t pass it up. Reports at the time of the deal suggested the forward was interested in joining the Knicks but didn’t necessarily ask to be traded there.
“I think it’s been reported that Mikal wanted to leave or requested a trade. That could not be further from the truth,” Marks said. “That’s just not in Mikal’s character. That’s not who he is and that definitely did not happen. He was told by me when I called him and let him know that we’re at the two-yard line.”
We have more on the New York teams:
- Nets guard Cam Thomas has joined Octagon as his representative, the agency tweets. Thomas is extension eligible this offseason, otherwise he’ll be a restricted free agent next summer. Thomas averaged 22.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 66 games last season.
- Jalen Brunson is pondering whether to sign an extension this summer, Fred Katz of The Athletic reports. Brunson could opt for long-term security now, instead of taking any chances by waiting until next offseason. He’s also well aware of how the new tax aprons could hamper the Knicks’ ability to make future moves. However, while he could ink a four-year extension this offseason worth around $156.5MM, he would be eligible to sign a max five-year contract worth a projected $269.1MM next summer. New York can put its extension offer on the table as early as this Friday and Brunson knows it’s coming, Katz writes.
- With Isaiah Hartenstein in Oklahoma City and several free agent centers already committed to other teams, where can the Knicks find depth in the middle? The New York Post’s Peter Botte takes a look at some other free agent big men still available, along with potential trades the front office could pursue to fill that need.
Obv Marks has to say the rebuild won’t take long. He’s on borrowed time as it is. But I agree with him, they should be back in the mix in 25/26. Jalen Wilson is gonna be a big part of that. Id keep Can Johnson until the trade deadline & then get a nice haul for him. If they can tank well enough to get a top5 pick they’ll be in nice position to make this a quick rebuild, depending on whether they can attract an elite free agent or 2 with all the cap room they’ll have… link to m.youtube.com
Easy decision for Brunson to me.
I’m really skeptical of Cam Thomas’ ability to be a long-term starter on a winning team. His defense is poor and he’s a bit of a ball-stopper. Definitely more suited for a 6th man Lou Williams-type role. So I hope the Nets don’t overpay. Having both Thomas and Claxton, guys with glaring holes in their games despite what they do do well (haha “doo doo”), on outsized contracts seems like a bad move, especially if we want to be active in free agency the next few years for a quicker turnaround. There are a lot of the guys in the league that can get you buckets, guys who will play better D and share the ball better than Cam Thomas.
Brooklyn sorta has to pay Cam whatever he wants bc if he leaves then it’s def not gonna be a quick rebuild. I like him more as a 6th man scoring guard too but the fact is that he’s elite in that role & will cost a large bag to keep around. Tbh if they wait for him to be a RFA he’ll prob be even more expensive than he’d be if they just extend him. Because he’s such a good scorer that somebody’s gonna see him as their missing piece. A lot of guys in the league can get buckets, but very few can score like Cam Thomas… Also I’m not sure what they glaring hole in Claxton’s game is other than him being a uga guy.
Agreed on Cam. If he’s locked up, maybe he’ll end up being a trade piece next year that gets a good return for the Nets. I just feel like teams who shell out big money to players who can’t defend almost always end up regretting it. For example, if Zach Lavine could play defense, someone would be taking on his contract. Dude can get you 25-5-5 per game and no one wants to take on his contract?
The hole with Clax I was referring to was just that Clax isn’t a scorer. He’s a pick man and lob threat on offense. He can’t shoot (yet), he’s not a ball handler at all, and his passing is getting better, but I don’t know. He also can get bodied up by bigger centers. He’s still very thin. If he wasn’t on the Nets, he would not be putting up 13 points per game, IMO.
I was going to ask how many recent champions won rings with a starting center who can’t shoot, but you do have Kevon Looney in there, so what do I know. I just want to see my Nets build the franchise like the Warriors did. You know, just a small request. That’s all I ask. Four rings minimum.
There’s a pretty long list of great scorers that were poor defenders that helped their teams while making a lot of $. Luka, Nash, Dame, Trae, etc. Cam isn’t quite as elite as those guys overall & doesn’t have those type of pg skills but he is an elite scorer& anybody that score like him is gonna be extremely valuable on the open market. And like I was saying Brooklyn just can’t afford to lose him. He’s currently their best player, by far their best scorer & drafting him was one of the rare smart moves they’ve made over the past half decade. If he leaves I can’t see any way they can keep Marks as GM.
I don’t consider not being a shooter a hole in a 5s game. That’s like saying Steph Curry’s inability to protect the rim is a hole in his game. Bigs should be expected to rebound, protect the paint, set screens & what not. If they struggle at those things that’s a hole in their game. Lack of strength could be a dent for him tho. Claxton isn’t the strongest guy but tbh he more than holds his own most every time I watch him.
Lol I feel you bro I want something like that for my Hawks but I’m greedy, I want what Russell/Cousy/Sam had lol.
Cam is signed thru 2025–26. They don’t have to do anything. He’s another trade asset for them. Brooklyn will be fine.
Cooper is coming !!!! Book It
Is Cam Thomas just Jordan Poole? If the Nets are ultimately going to look to deal Cam, how harder will it be after they give him a sizeable contract?
Unfortunately, they ignored the Brooklyn purse that Jackie Robinson put on the city after they moved to Los Angeles, no team will ever win again in that city Brooklyn, and it’s a dump a big dump. Several players are afraid to be at and be around the stadium. Some come in in an armored car.
Have you ever been there? Doesn’t seem likely.
Jackie purse ????
Nets have won ABA chips.
It’s just like any US city… Safe cities have less job opportunities for the middle class…
My grandma lives like two blocks from Barclays (at the corner of her street is a police station) and this could not be further from the truth. I also have a number of friends in the area. Not once have I ever felt unsafe or had any of them complain about crime.
There are certainly bad parts of Brooklyn just like any major city, but Prospect Heights ain’t one of them. Don’t believe me? Check out the local crime statistics instead of blindly regurgitating right-wing drivel.
You’re absolutely right. Daughter lives there and seems more Bohemian than anything else. Besides watching the NY Liberty win, some still hope for a decent NBA team in Brooklyn. Just a few years ago, one didn’t know for which NY team to feel sorrier (sic). Now the Nets win.
Spoken like someone who’s never been east of the Mississippi. Brooklyn: mix of classic beautiful old neighborhoods with hip, diverse young areas, rents equal to Manhattan, broad range of cultures, etc.
Please tell us which players are “afraid to be at or around the stadium”? (By the way, Barclay Center is not a stadium). Which ones “come in an armored car”? Please go back and hide under the covers wherever you are.
I second what everyone else has responded after your ignorant, idiotic post. And guess what else – Brooklyn is not a city. So those New Yorkers living in Brooklyn have enjoyed several championships over the many years since Jackie Robinson.
Downtown Brooklyn has never been that bad. But now it’s getting pricey. Next to Bklyn hgts one best areas in City.
MAGA Troll