New York Post

Bojan not ruling out return to Brooklyn

- By BRIAN LEWIS

Bojan Bogdanovic picked up a lot of games in the standings at the trade deadline, when he was shipped from the cellar-dwelling Nets to the Southeast Division champion Wizards. It remains to be seen if the sweet-shooting Croatian stays in Washington, comes back to Brooklyn, or ends up anywhere else this summer.

Bogdanovic — who was traded for a first-round pick — is a restricted free agent, in essence a rental with an option to buy. He knows how uncertain the summer will be, which is why he has rented a place just a few blocks away from Verizon Center in Washington.

“I don’t want to move like five times, I’ll stay over there until the end of the season and then we’ll see what’s going to happen in the summer,’’ Bogdanovic told The Post before scoring eight points in 31 minutes off the bench in a 106-103 win over the Knicks at the Garden on Thursday night. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m trying to do my best with the Wizards to stay in the playoffs as far as we can, and then we’ll see what’s going to happen in the summer with me and where I’m going to wind up playing next year.

“When you play good everybody wants to keep you, so I hope I’m going to continue my run especially in the playoffs, and I’ll play a little bit better than the last couple of games, and I’ll push the team to sign me next year.”

The Nets are expected to hunt for some max salary restricted freeagent wings, such as the Pistons’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who was arrested last week on a DUI charge) and Washington’s Otto Porter. If the Wizards match any offer for Porter, the Nets could target Bogdanovic for a return. Would he consider it? “It’s still early. I didn’t think about it. I’m trying to focus about basketball,’’ Bogdanovic said. “Everybody has started to ask me about the contract now, but I’m not in that mode yet. After the playoffs I will start to think about options, about what’s the best place for me. But right now I’m really happy in Washington with this group of guys. But we’ll see after the season what’s going to happen.”

Bogdanovic’s minutes have been cut and he is coming off the Wizards’ bench, but his efficiency has spiked from playing alongside the likes of John Wall and Bradley Beal.

“He plays with a high IQ ,’’ Wizards coach Scott Brooks said.

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