The Brooklyn Nets may not have the incentive of getting the no.1 pick of this year’s NBA Draft despite finishing with the worst record in the association, but they are very much under the salary cap to pursue key free agents this offseason.
ESPN NBA insider Nick Salva reported that the Nets are looking to improve their small forward spot after trading one of their leading scorers, Bojan Bogdanovic to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline. Salva also noted that Nets general manager Sean Marks has been scouting overseas in hope of finding an international prospect who can fill in their deficiency at the wing position.
We know the positions certainly needs to be addressed," Marks told Nets Magazine. “I look at it too that we have some free agents of our own and we need to know what’s going to happen with them there first."
Free-Agency targets
The Nets have been trying to bring in a reliable wing player since last summer. They offered Allen Crabbe a four-year, $74.8 million and then Tyler Johnson a four-year, $50 million offer sheet but the Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat matched these offers to retain their restricted free-agents.
This offseason, the Nets front-office has reportedly set their sights on two more restricted free-agents: Washington Wizards’ forward Otto Porter and Detroit Pistons sharp-shooter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Marks reportedly likes Porter’s ability to knock down treys and play rough defense on the other end of the porter, while he sees Caldwell-Pope as someone with superstar potential.
If they strikeout on the two top wingmen, the Nets can pursue Utah Jazz’s Joe Ingles, Toronto Raptors’ PJ Tucker, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Shabazz Muhammad, Milwaukee Bucks’ Tony Snell, Indiana Pacers’ CJ Miles, Denver Nuggets’ Danillo Gallinari and Atlanta Hawks’ Tim Hardaway Jr.
as options at the wing.
Milos Teodosic lottery
Another move the Nets’ front-office is closely considering is to convince Milos Teodosic, hailed as the best prospect not playing in the NBA right now, to join them next season. Teodosic, who led Serbia to a silver medal finish at the World Cup and Rio Olympics, would give Nets more depth at the point guard position.
Nets’ owner Mikhail Prokhorov still owns CSKA Moscow - Teodosic current EuroLeague team – and he could serve as the Nets’ recruiting ace to finally bring the talented playmaker across the Atlantic. Aside from the Nets, the Sacramento Kings have also shown interested in Teodosic, who turned 30-years old this March.
