Report: Nets Likely To Hire New GM This Week

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The Nets could hire their next general manager in place any day now.

According to an ESPN report, the team has shortened its list of candidates to three and is likely to make a decision before the end of the week.

The finalists for the job are former Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns general manager Bryan Colangelo, Denver Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas and San Antonio Spurs assistant GM Sean Marks, according to the report.

Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday that Houston Rockets vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas is also still a candidate, but added that Karnisovas and Marks appear to be the front-runners.

The Nets are looking for a new general manager and head coach after reassigning GM Billy King and firing coach Lionel Hollins on Jan. 10. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov is reportedly searching for a leader in the front office before they set their sights on a head coach. Tony Brown is coaching the Nets in the interim.

The NBA trade deadline is Thursday, meaning it's unlikely the Nets' next general manager will have a say-so in any deadline deals. There have been trade rumors reported involving Thaddeus Young, Brook Lopez, Joe Johnson and Andrea Bargnani. Assistant general manager Frank Zanin has been filling in for King since the front office shakeup.

Whoever takes over the Nets will face some challenges in rebuilding the roster. Because of the 2013 trade for Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, the Nets still owe the Celtics their 2016 and 2018 first-round draft picks plus the right to swap slots in the 2017 draft.

The team, however, could have about $40 million in salary cap space to spend this offseason.