Floundering Nets fire Coach Vaughn, but now GM Marks is on the hot seat, with maybe one more chance to right the franchise.

Just three days after the New York Post's Brian Lewis warned, Jacque Vaughn and Nets stars need to be on same page, the 21-33 Brooklyn Nets fired the coach, with GM Sean Marks stating, "This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward."

Yes,Vaughn, who was elevated after the firing last season of Steve Nash and saw the departure of stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, had made some criticized coaching decisions, and according to some reports, had lost the confidence of some players.

But the firing also makes it look like the team is doing something to respond to fans' frustrations. 

What about the GM?

And, as the tabloids indicated, Marks too is responsible, for assembling the team, and hiring--and firing--a series of coaches.

I’m gonna go get the papers, get the papers: back page edition. pic.twitter.com/atl6s0iQzN

— Robert Shields (@rshields37) February 20, 2024

That suggests that the next management change might be with Marks, though he reportedly has the confidence of team owner Joe Tsai. 

What will it take for the Nets to finally fire Sean Marks?, asked New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro, crediting the GM for first building the team's culture, thanks to savvy trades and player development, to the point where it would attract superstars, then letting it all slide.

After Marks spoke to the press, NetsDaily noted that, while the GM took some accountability--after eight years and one playoff series win--he remained confident, saying owner Joe Tsai and he "have always been in complete partnership."

In his Substack newsletter, journalist Steve Lichtenstein offered A Nuanced Look At Why Marks Still Has Nets GM Job—And Why He Is Running Out Of Rope, criticizing Marks for failing to construct a balanced roster, trading for the irregular Ben Simmons, and hiring inexperienced coaches.

But given that Marks previously did manage a masterful franchise turnaround, Lichtenstein suggested, he'll have one more chance to do it again.