Marks scouts targets all over Europe
Nets general manager Sean Marks has been on an extended European scouting trip, and he’s getting his money’s worth. From Germany to Russia to Spain to Turkey, Marks has cast a wide net looking for players.
Point guard seems to be a position of interest, with Marks having seen Milos Teodosic, Thomas Heurtel, Brad Wanamaker and Stefan Jovic on Friday according to European basketball writer David Pick.
Marks was photographed in Moscow watching Teodosic — voted the best player outside the NBA by the league’s GMs — put up 20 points and 10 assists to lead CSKA Moscow to a Euroleague win over Darussafaka Dolgus of Istanbul on Wednesday. He’s leading the Euroleague in assists, and led Serbia to a silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
Pick identified Teodosic, Nicolo Melli of Bamberg and Will Clyburn of Darussafaka as possible targets. Clyburn is a high-flying 6-foot-7 small forward while Melli is a 6-9 power forward having one of the best seasons in the Euroleague. The Nets also are interested in athletic French guard Edwin Jackson, the top scorer in Spain, regarded as the best league outside the NBA.
Pick tweeted Marks’ presence at Anadolu’s game against Fenerbahce, surmising that he and Nets international scout Danko Cvjeticanin were in Istanbul to look at Derrick Brown, Tyler Honeycutt and Heurtel, who is second in the Euroleague in assists at 163.
Marks also was photographed by a Spanish newspaper meeting with Barcelona’s general manager, and watching their 19-year-old small forward, Rodions Ku- rucs. NBADraft.net has the draft-eligible 6-9 Latvian projected to go 18th overall, while Draft Express had him 20th and ESPN 23rd. The Nets currently hold the 24th pick.
While Kurucs could be an intriguing selection if he falls that far — even as a stash pick — Jovic might be a value signing. He has size (6-6), youth (at 26, he’s four years younger than Teodosic) and playmaking ability. His 9.39 assists per 40 minutes are second only to Teodosic, his Serb Olympic teammate, in the Euroleague.
Jovic had a Euroleague-record 19 assists in a single game playing for Red Star in Belgrade last season, although he’s hitting just 29.1 percent from deep and 61 percent from the stripe.