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Sean Marks’ Vision: The Brooklyn Nets Team That Could Have Been

By Alexander Cuesta

Feb 19, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets new general manager Sean Marks speaks to the media during a press conference before a game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2016; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets new general manager Sean Marks speaks to the media during a press conference before a game against the New York Knicks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 10, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) and Jeremy Lin watch the final second from the bench during second half against Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 177-97. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) and Jeremy Lin watch the final second from the bench during second half against Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 177-97.Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /

The Current Reality

The Nets have battled injuries and inexperience throughout the season and currently have the worst record in the league. They are a gritty team that plays hard, but they have not been able to turn it into wins. Losing out on the unrestricted free agents that Marks wanted caused fans to have to see a lot of different players that may not be on NBA rosters otherwise.

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Players like Spencer Dinwiddie, Quincy Acy, Anthony Bennett, and Yogi Ferrell probably would not have been able to crack the roster if Marks had landed the free agents he wanted. They would have been stuck in the D-League either continuing to develop or fighting to get noticed by an NBA team. But a combination of a lack of talent and injuries have caused the Nets to put these players in the rotation.

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Other players who would have been directly affected are Randy Foye, Luis Scola, and Isaiah Whitehead. The first two were brought in to be veterans on a young roster and help the younger players develop. They more than likely would not have played significant minutes at all, just adding depth for blowouts or back-to-backs. Whitehead is a rookie who was on the D-League bubble to start the season. He has played significant minutes this season, but if these free agents would have joined to the team and had the Nets not been sparred by injuries, he would have likely not have played at all.

The reality is, the free agent targets were unable to join the team due to their original teams matching the offer sheets from the Nets. What fans have now is an injury-ridden young team that plays hard game in and game out, but can’t finish. They are turnover-prone and seemingly allergic to defense.

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One thing that fans can hang their hat on is the vision of Sean Marks. The players he targeted were smart players who would have been able to grow with this young Nets core. Even without these players, a healthy Nets roster is far from the worst in the league. No one can predict when injuries will happen, but this team does not quit and continues to improve. If these smart draft picks and signings are what we can look forward to, then the future is bright in Brooklyn.