When Sean Marks took the Nets’ general manager job midstream in 2016, he knew full well the rebuild would be long and tough, if not impossible. The staggering 123 losses they have suffered over the past two seasons — the second-worst span in team history — showed just how tough.
But after using all their hoarded cap space this summer — taking on salary dumps in return for much-needed assets — the Nets need to show signs of improvement. While pundits peg them to still finish near the bottom of the NBA, they must prove they are at least clawing out of that cellar rather than sinking further into it.