Nets set their sights on ‘the best passer in the world’
Two of the most important men for the Nets’ summer live in Moscow, and general manager Sean Marks is flying to see them both this week: team owner Mikhail Prokhorov and top target Milos Teodosic.
Marks and Nets coach Kenny Atkinson head to ONEXIM headquarters to meet with Prokhorov, then they will scout free-agent priority Teodosic, whom one expert called the best passer in the world.
“We’re heading over to meet with Mikhail this week, so we’ll sit down with him and give him the plan and discuss things with him,” Marks said. “We’ve had an open dialogue really throughout the course of the season. It’s been terrific. Mikhail has been back and forth here a number of times, so now we’re going to fly over there and sit with him and meet with him.”
But there’s more to this trip than face time with the boss.
“There will be the occasional scout,” Marks said. “We don’t go all that way to just sit around, but we will enjoy our time with Mikhail.”
The most important of those occasional scouts likely will be Teodosic.
Teodosic will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and is exploring the possibility of heading to the NBA. The Nuggets are interested in the 30-year-old, and ESPN analyst Fran Franchilla said he believes the Jazz might be a fit because of a close relationship between Teodosic and coach Quin Snyder.
“At his age, his stature, he’s going to look for a fit where someone gives him the ball, looks past his deficiencies and lets him play as what he is: one of the premier pick-and-roll players in world,” Fraschilla said. “I could see him in Kenny’s system. [Atkinson] understands the Euro game, pacing, spacing.
“Offensively, he’s the best passer in the world, from a purely offensive standpoint. Chris Paul is a Hall of Famer, but as far as a pure passer, [Teodosic] might be the most creative passer in the world today. Now, he will not guard a chair, but he’s a brilliant offensive player and an ultra-competitor.”
The Nets’ interest in the Serbian star is well-documented.
“Look, he’s a terrific player, there is no question on that,” Marks said. “But there are a lot of guys out there. Last time I was in Europe, I probably saw eight different teams. [Assistant general manager] Trajan Langdon was out there, he’s heading out again, and he’s going to see another 10 different teams. So we’re looking at a bunch of different players. It’d probably be pretty irresponsible of me to say we got one guy in mind.
“That is not how we are going to do it. It’s important that Kenny and the coaching staff, these guys will have a voice in the free agents as well. It is one thing for us to say, ‘Here’s the team,’ but these guys have to coach and develop them. So we’re very intrigued to see what Kenny and his staff and the player development, what they have to say on whatever free agent or draft guy that we bring in.”
Now, Atkinson will see Teodosic play Baskonia in the opening round of the EuroLeague playoffs. They aren’t expected to make it to Tuesday’s game but should be able to attend Thursday.