The Brooklyn Nets are searching for a head coach who can help deliver the NBA title fans are expecting with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the fold. There has been talk about Gregg Popovich possibly filling that role, but some recent comments made by Nets general manager Sean Marks do not make it sound likely.
Gerald Brown of SiriusXM NBA Radio said on the “Let’s Get Technical” podcast with retired NBA stars Rasheed Wallace and Bonzi Wells this week that rumors indicate the Nets are preparing a “godfather offer” to entice Popovich to coach the team. When asked about that by WFAN’s Joe & Evan on Friday, Marks essentially said he cannot see Popovich leaving the San Antonio Spurs.
“Pop has a job. So I will say that. And, obviously, we all know he’s an amazing, amazing coach — and to be quite frank, an even better leader,” Marks said, as transcribed by USA Today’s Nick Friar. “So I’ll let Pop continue to coach for the Spurs. He owes it to them and they owe it to him. I’m sure he’s quite happy there.”
Marks was an assistant on Popovich’s staff with the Spurs, so he has a personal relationship with the future Hall of Fame coach. If the opportunity arose for the Nets to hire Pop, we highly doubt they would turn it down. However, Marks knows better than to openly recruit another team’s coach. It’s also doubtful that Popovich would be looking for a fresh start at age 71 after coaching the Spurs for nearly 25 years.
Popovich has been taking things year-by-year with his coaching future, and he can basically coach the Spurs for as long as he would like. He has also committed to coaching Team USA in the next Olympics, so he is not retiring entirely. Even if the Nets write him a blank check, it’s hard to envision Popovich coaching outside of San Antonio at this juncture.
