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Nets Name Sean Marks New General Manager

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Sean Marks, a rising star in the San Antonio Spurs' front office, has been named the new general manager of the Brooklyn Nets.

The team announced on Thursday that Marks, 40, has accepted the position.

"After an exhaustive vetting process, we are delighted to have Sean as our General Manager," Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a news release. "His experience on the court, in coaching and management gives him a 360 degree view of the job at hand. His background helping to build one of the greatest teams in the NBA gives him an unparalleled frame of reference. And he impressed us all with his vision, his values, his personality and his enthusiasm for the club."

Sean Marks
Sean Marks, left, and Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs sit on the sidelines during a against the Phoenix Suns at AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, on March 17, 2006. (Photo by Chris Birck/NBAE via Getty Images)

Other finalists for the job were reportedly former Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns general manager Bryan Colangelo, Denver Nuggets assistant GM Arturas Karnisovas and Houston Rockets vice president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas.

An NBA player for 12 years, Marks, a native of New Zealand, joined the San Antonio front office in 2013.

"I am very excited to be named the General Manager of the Brooklyn Nets, and to become a member of the vibrant and dynamic organization that represents Brooklyn," Marks said in the news release. "I would like to thank Nets' ownership for giving me this opportunity, and I look forward to the challenge of creating a unified culture and building a winning team."

The Nets, who are 14-40, were searching for a new general manager and head coach after GM Billy King was reassigned and coach Lionel Hollins was fired on Jan. 10. Prokhorov said he first wanted to hire his general manager, who would then help choose the next head coach.

Marks 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.

Marks was a power forward/center from 1998-2011 for the Raptors, Heat, Spurs, Suns, Hornets and Trail Blazers. He was drafted by the Knicks but never played for the team.

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