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Sean Marks sat down with Brian Lewis of the Post Tuesday, his first interview with a Nets beat writer and his seventh, by our count, in the two weeks since he got the Nets job. And as he's said increasingly over the last few days, Marks suggested to Lewis that he's convinced Mikhail Prokhorov that the Nets need more than a short-term fix.
There'll be no more talk about adding "one, two players" and a "lot of luck," as Prokhorov did after dumping Lionel Hollins and Billy King in January.
"Absolutely, he understands. We were clear on both sides on what it’s going to take to build this. We’re starting from the ground up. It’s not a quick fix, not going to be overnight that things change," said Marks. "It’s sticking to your process and going through it systematically, acquiring an asset here or there, but building the culture first."
Marks again said Prokhorov has shown a commitment to winning, this time adding "taking sole ownership of the team" to the list he's enumerated -- Barclays Center, the HSS Training Center, the Long Island Nets-- to prove Prokhorov wants to win.
And he was specific about the role of player development in his strategic plan. You can't wait until the 2019 Draft.
"We’ll look at many different avenues as to how to build a team. It can’t just be sit around and wait until we have a first-round pick. We’ll have to be strategic and systematic," Marks told Lewis "We’ll obviously look in Europe, the free-agent route, player development will be a big key.’’
Signing Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day deal is the first step in that plan, he suggested, adding that fans can expect to others signed to short-term deals in the final quarter of the season.
"I’d like to find somebody who can develop through the summer and into next year," Marks said. "We plan on using 10-days to find those guys."
As for the coaching search, Marks seems to be taking a shot at the Knicks fascination with the Triangle in one exchange.
"I don’t think I’m going to sit here and say we’re going to play this system and hire you to run this system,’’ Marks said. "That doesn’t make any sense.’’
Lewis also learned that Marks had a surprising ally in his corner, one with championship credentials. He writes that Brian Cashman of the Yankees was among those recommending the Spurs assistant GM.
Cashman said he first met Marks last month when he and other members of the Yankees’ front office visited the Spurs before their 110-97 rout of New Orleans for an exchange of ideas with the gold standard of the NBA. That was enough to convince him.
"What an asset, an asset the Nets were smart enough to acquire.’’ said Cashman.