Nash plan: Dish out ‘D’ in Brooklyn

Nets coach Steve Nash is one of the best offensive minds to ever play in the NBA. But ask him about what kind of attack his team will run, and he’ll flip the script to defense.

“It’s frankly been all on defense. We’ve spent all our time over the last few weeks building that,” Nash said during Tuesday’s town hall with ticket holders that aired on YES Network. “Defense is our No. 1 priority. Protecting the paint and guarding the basket is going to be the bedrock of our defense. Without sharing all the principles we’re building and all the things we’re designing right now, I can assure you we realize to win a championship we need to be a very strong defensive team.”

Defense was the lone flaw that kept the high-scoring Suns and Mavericks, with which the Hall of Fame guard played, from winning titles. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will both be in the lineup, so the Nets could be similarly explosive, but must avoid the same Achilles’ heel.

The Nets finished last season ranked 10th in the NBA in defensive efficiency, but the late-season stages tell a different tale. The Nets were 18th of 22 teams during the seeding games in the bubble at Disney World, and were dead last in the playoffs at a porous 122.9.

Right now it’s unclear who’ll be coaching that defense, and who’ll be anchoring it. Perhaps coincidentally, Jarrett Allen’s name has popped up in trade rumors, though Nash has gushingly praised the Nets center.

“He was more dynamic at the defensive end, expanding his game [in the bubble], getting out and playing farther out on the floor, covering guards, moving his feet for stretches that we hadn’t seen in the past,” Nash said. “And then his rim protection I think has been his cornerstone.”

Nash touched on his staff, referring to Durant confidant Adam Harrington in the present tense and confirming the hiring of former Phoenix teammate Amar’e Stoudemire. But the ex-Knick was never a great defender and despite Jacque Vaughn yeoman’s work as interim coach, his best results were with the offense and chemistry.

Even if Nash lands former mentor Mike D’Antoni as an assistant, no defensive coordinator is readily apparent.

A source familiar with league f inancials told The Post that players will get half of total basketball-related income for last season, which generally works out to about a 15 percent pay cut.