Brooklyn Nets: Times Are Changing For the Franchise

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May 16, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; (left to right) Brooklyn Nets players Rondae Hollis Jefferson, Sean Kilpatrick, Markel Brown, Chris McCullough and Thaddeus Young, listen to new head coach Kenny Atkinson answer questions from media during press conference at HSS Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

As the 2015-16 season came to an end, things were not looking great in Brooklyn. The Nets finished a lowly 21-61. They didn’t even get to reap the rewards of a lottery pick as a result of the KG/Pierce trade debacle. This trade will likely leave the Nets without a lottery selection in the 2017 and 2018 drafts, barring a trade.

However, the Nets acted swiftly in the offseason.

First, they hired Sean Marks as their new general manager. Marks was the former director of basketball operations, assistant coach, and assistant general manager for the San Antonio Spurs. He replaces Billy King in the front office and the hope for Brooklyn is that Marks has some of the magic from RC Buford and Gregg Popovich that can rub off on him.

Marks’ first major move was hiring Kenny Atkinson, who served as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks. This is a great first step for the new GM. Atkinson has Spurs ties as he coached under former Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer in his stint with the Hawks.

Atkinson is best known for his skills developing players. He is often credited with helping Jeremy Lin and Kent Bazemore succeed in the NBA. His work with Lin paid immediate dividends for Brooklyn, as the team was able to sign the point guard away from the Hornets this offseason.

Next: The Rest of the Roster