Even though Brooklyn has played better since the All-Star break — Thursday’s 121-110 victory over the Knicks was their fourth win in nine games — the Nets know their rebuild isn’t going to be short, quick or easy. It’ll be an arduous couple of years with general manager Sean Marks searching high and low, far and wide for talent.
The Nets have far too many holes to try and plug in one summer, even with two first-round picks and $30 million in cap space. But they’ll look to improve by any means necessary, including NBA free agents like George Hill or international ones like Milos Teodosic, whom Marks reportedly is headed to Europe this week to scout.
“Let’s build a rock-solid foundation, develop these young guys, get Isaiah [Whitehead], Caris [LeVert] and Rondae [Hollis-Jefferson] growing up and see where they are at 25, 26. They’re kids. They’re babies still. Let’s develop those guys, add some nice pieces along the way,’’ Marks said on WFAN.
“I’d hope every single year we see improvement … and we continually grow, and in two years we say ‘OK, here we go. Let’s make a run.’ ”
While coach Kenny Atkinson is concerned about closing this season strong, Marks has an eye toward the offseason. He is looking for talent in restricted and unrestricted free agency, both domestically and abroad.
An ESPN podcast reported that belief around the league is that the Nets will go after Hill, 30, an unrestricted free agent who rejected a contract extension in Utah. European basketball writer David Pick reported Marks is headed to scout CSKA Moscow’s Euroleague game versus Darussafaka Dogus. While Will Clyburn and Brad Wanamaker will be on hand, Teodosic is the prize.
NBA general managers voted Teodosic the best player outside the league. A free agent who turns 30 on Sunday, he has intimated he’s finally set to come stateside. There are reasons why Brooklyn is a fit, with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov having formerly owned CSKA and assistant GM Trajan Langdon having starred for CSKA and maintained a close relationship with Teodosic.
Granted, Jeremy Lin is the starting point guard, and Teodosic is both a poor defender and pick-and-roll ace. But Atkinson — who can’t discuss specific players — told The Post he picked the motion offense because it fit the current personnel but in a general sense he’d never shy away from adding an elite passer.
“Would I shy away? No. … Of all the systems I’ve been around, I felt [motion] fit the roster the best. It just depends on the pieces,’’ Atkinson told The Post before Thursday’s win over the Knicks. He added he didn’t feel Lin would hesitate to play alongside another point guard.
“He’s a player. Jeremy’s the kind of guy who’d say if it’s going to help, it really comes down to that. Now you’re seeing multiple ballhandlers; that’s the future. … If it’s getting the team better, I just think that’s the type of guy he is. If that’s going to push us to another level, then you just have to look at the pieces.”