Miami emerges as threat to Nets landing Teodosic
Milos Teodosic may be the Nets’ top free-agent target, but they reportedly just got some new competition from the Heat in the race for the Serbian point guard.
The Nets long have been linked to Teodosic, as have the Kings and Nuggets. But Friday, Andrey Kartashov, the lead basketball writer for the Russian news agency TASS, reported Miami had joined the pursuit of the CSKA Moscow star who NBA general managers voted the best player outside the league. Kartashov didn’t mention the Nuggets, but the Heat are problem enough.
The Nets are interested enough in Teodosic to have scouted him at least five times, including sending owner Mikhail Prokhorov, general manager Sean Marks, coach Kenny Atkinson, chairman of the board Dmitry Razumov and board member Sergey Kushchenko to a game in Moscow. Now that’s showing love, but Miami’s late inclusion could throw a monkey wrench into their plans.
The Nets are third in the NBA in available cap space at $33 million, but the Heat have $38 million despite matching Brooklyn’s four-year, $50 million offer sheet to guard Tyler Johnson last summer. Miami also has a competitive team, which was at the top of Teodosic’s wish list.
“In order for me to go to the USA, a team has to meet both my competitive ambitions — which is the most important thing — and everything that has to do with the financial aspect,’’ Teodisic blogged on Eurohoop.net. “I need a team with a plan and high goals. … I want to win, to be motivated.”
While the Nets were an NBA-worst 20-62 last season, the Heat were 41-41 and closed 30-11.
Miami missed the playoffs by just one game, needing the Nets to beat the Bulls in the finale to make the postseason. The Nets rested Brook Lopez, Jeremy Lin and Trevor Booker and lost.
After the May 20 Euroleague consolation game, Teodosic — believed to be seeking a three-year deal in the $25 million-$30 million range — said he would make his decision in 15-20 days. The Russian league playoffs will end next week, but he can’t sign with an NBA team until July 7.