After spending the first few years under owner Mikhail Prokhorov desperately trying to deliver the NBA championship he promised when he took over the Brooklyn Nets, the franchise finally hit the reset button with Lionel Hollins fired as head coach and General Manager Billy King reassigned. Prokhorov preached patience as he looks to build a contender in Brooklyn but the reality at this point is that the team has no GM, no head coach and few valuable assets as they look to begin their rebuild. The first step for the Nets is to find a GM that they feel can help speed up the rebuild process over the next couple of years by bringing in the right coach and players to turn things around following a brutal couple of years. Here is a look at the four best potential options as the next GM in Brooklyn.
R.C. Buford
The Nets might as well take a shot at the best in the business in Buford, who has spent years crafting championship teams for the San Antonio Spurs as the gold standard for what it means to be a successful GM in the NBA level. It might seem like a stretch at first to think that Brooklyn can convince Buford to leave San Antonio but the reality is that he is actually very good friends with Prokhorov’s chief advisor in Sergei Kushchenko and has been a guest of Prokhorov himself at several events. Buford might be content to continue his work with the Spurs but he if he up for the challenge then he could be convince to take a boatload of money and become the next GM of the Nets.
Bryan Colangelo
A lot of people were surprised when the Philadelphia 76ers hired Jerry Colangelo but if they can land a star like him then Brooklyn should be able to convince the next generation of the Colangelo family to take a chance on the Nets. Bryan hasn’t worked in the NBA in three years since he was replaced by Masai Ujiri in Toronto but he did win Executive of the Year a couple of times with the Raptors and Phoenix Suns and his reputation and experience would be very valuable for a Brooklyn rebuild that would get an instant boost in credibility.
Mike Zarren
Zarren is currently working as Danny Ainge’s No. 2 with the Boston Celtics and while he turned down the 76ers’ GM job before Sam Hinkie took it he could be interested in making the move to Brooklyn if both the money and the situation is a fit for him. Zarren would undoubtedly want full autonomy of the team along with a substantial amount of money and he would certainly be worth it as a smart basketball mind that also happens to be a graduate of Harvard Law School. It will take some time to turn things around and the Nets would be smart to key in on a brilliant basketball executive in Zarren.
Brian Pauga
An organization that has had as much success as the Spurs have over the years is obviously going to have a couple of strong candidates for management roles and Pauga is one of them as San Antonio’s director of scouting and the GM of the Austin Toros. Pauga is still just 31-years-old but he is widely considered one of the bright young minds in the game and it is only a matter of time before he gets his opportunity. Brooklyn might be looking for somebody with a little more experience at this point but considering their position as a team that is in need of a long-term rebuild it would definitely be smart to take a chance on a bright, young mind with the hope that Pauga can turn the Nets in to a perennial contender in the long run.
Danny Ferry
Although Ferry is a tainted name right now due to some racial issues he had at his previous job, remember that he is the man that deserves credit for rebuilding the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks went from being an Eastern Conference cellar-dweller to a 50+ win team over the last couple of seasons. Ferry was the man who carefully constructed that roster. America is all about second chances and the Nets would be wise to call upon Ferry’s services.
