Nets general manager Sean Marks admits that he will choose the brain of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving over the team’s coaching situation. But that would never have been from direct experience of restarting the NBA in Orlando, Florida. It’s a risk that Marks didn’t feel worthy of being caught.
“[Irving] it’s going fine. But like Kevin, you have to look at risk-return. When you have a lot of money and your future is tied to a couple of guys – the whole team, but these two guys are an integral part of it – they didn’t have the appropriate accumulation, “Marks said on WFAN.” The last thing what you want to do is put these guys out there when they haven’t had the proper workload and buildup. “
And Marks won’t ask his stars to show up at Orlando’s COVID-19 to evaluate the work of the interim coach and alleged collaborator Jacque Vaughn.
“It wouldn’t be smart of us if we didn’t involve some of these key players in this decision,” said Marks. “Kevin, Kyrie, we will think about what they are looking for in a leader, what they need. So far they have been brutally honest.
“I won’t ask Kevin to come to Orlando to evaluate anyone. When you get to the level of those elite players, they have the ultimate goals in mind. They want to be held accountable. Kevin and Kyrie have told me they want to win a championship in Brooklyn. “
But the decimated networks are realistic enough to know that the title will not arrive this season. They are playing the long game.
Although the word tank never opened Marks’ lips, there are reasons to be cautious. If the Nets miss the playoffs, they will keep their choice of the first round protected by the lottery, currently destined for Minnesota.
“We will be strategic on how we play over there and how we compete,” said Marks. “But once again this is much, much bigger than the game of basketball. This transcends it. “
The reference was obviously to the coronavirus, with DeAndre Jordan and Spencer Dinwiddie both of which were positive, and Jordan had already excluded himself from the reboot. But with Wilson Chandler and Nic Claxton out, the nets are a shell.
It is easy to understand why the nets would be wary of the prospect of the injured Caris LeVert – their best young talent, and a potential commercial chip if they want to land a third star – get hurt by trying to support the load too much.
“Absolutely, we have to be smart in the way we go over there, in the way we compete and in the team we put on the pitch. We have evaluated and continue to evaluate … who is playing and who should play and who should not play, “Marks said.” Players have to make the decision on their own. It is not entirely up to me. I can certainly direct them in ways we feel may be useful, but we will run the risk for their safety and health and injury [seriously].
“This is a priority not only for this season. We are looking for two or three years down the road. “
LeVert averaged 24.1 points, 5.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds in their last 16 games before the stoppage, hitting 41.3 percent from the depths. He admits the concerns of COVID-19, but says that the network team’s decisions are above his head.
“As a team, networks as an organization? I don’t make those decisions; I feel it is outside of me. This is Sean and property. It’s not really my job to think about those things, “said LeVert.” Myself individually, this is definitely a thought in my head. When thinking about personal health and things like that outside of coronavirus and social justice and of comfort over there in the bubble, it’s definitely something I have to consider.
“But as an organization, I don’t think it’s my call to say we’re not going down.”
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