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A lot of people are going to want to play here, says Billy King

By Net Income
Brooklyn Nets/Gary Sussman

Now that the Nets have been in Brooklyn a full season and have won, made the playoffs, Billy King thinks it will be easier for him to sign players, even at the vets minimum. In the second part of his interview with the Nets in-house beat writer, Ben Couch, King also spoke about development, particular of international players.

"I think we're going to have a lot of people who are going to want to play here. That's the great thing now about being in Brooklyn. Players are going to want to be part of it. Players have gotten to see the building, come through it. So, it's more of a recruiting tool for us," King told Couch. Indeed, a number of players have commented about the Nets new digs.

On development, King reiterated the Nets intention to sign Bojan Bogdanovic, saying he is the kind of player the Nets will need to bring in, with their tight salary cap.

"Bojan is someone who's had big games. He can shoot the three, has good size, is very physical so the goal is to get him over here this year," King said. "He has an NBA buyout so the object is to exercise it and give him the money and get him to come over. I think he wants to come over." He added nothing can happen until free agency begins in July.

As for the Nets two current international players, King didn't think their first year in the NBA was wasted.

"Anytime you come into the league, there's an adjustment," he said. "The game is faster, more physical, more cerebral than where you've come from. what you want to do is provide them with a culturea and an environment where they like it, so when they come back next year, they know what to expect and are prepared for it."

Here are some excerpts...

On the international players, Mirza Teletovic and Toko Shengelia:

"It's not just about international players. Anytime you come into the league, there's an adjustment. The game is faster, more physical, more cerebral than where you've come from. what you want to do is provide them with a culturea and an environment where they like it, so when they come back next year, they know what to expect and are prepared for it. I think that's what we did with those guys."

On the Nets' "Euro-Stash," Ilkan Karaman and Bojan Bogdanovic:

"Let's start with Ilkan. He still has some development to go through. He's had some good games and he's played well, made some progress but he still has some work to do before we bring him over. Bojan is someone who's had big games. He can shoot the three, has good size, is very physical so the goal is to get him over here this year. He has an NBA buyout so the object is to exercise it and give him the money and get him to come over. I think he wants to come over so we can't do anything till July 1. So we'll look at that when the time comes."

On the D-League affiliation with Springfield Armor:

"I think it's been good. I think it's given our guys an opportunity to play. We used it more this year, particularly in the latter part of the season. I think next year ... I was talking with Milt [Lee] ... we got to do a little better job, a little better structure of when they go down, exactly what is wanted of them. So, they're playing the right position, doing the right things, but I think it's great because if a guy doesn't have an opportunity to play here, early in the year, I'd like them to be with us because that's when we're practicing because I think it's better for them to practice against our guys. When we're not practicing that much, I think it's better for them to play games down there so they can get better."

On recruiting players for Brooklyn:

"I think we're going to have a lot of people who are going to want to play here. That's the great thing now about being in Brooklyn. Players are going to want to be part of it. Players have gotten to see the building, come through it. So, it's more of a recruiting tool for us. I look at the borough as something of great pride. They have a lot of pride in the borough. And people are very hard-working and that's what I want our team to be, proud to be a part of it and know they have to work hard every day. The borough itself, you have 2.4 million people, and the pride they have in their borough ... its a responsibility for us to represent them."

On working within the salary cap restrictions:

"A lot of teams are over the cap. So what you do is try to add minimum guys, try to find guys on the roster like an Andray Blatche or a C.J. Watson. Being in Brooklyn helps. Being a team that's won helps, being a playoff team helps. That's how we'll improve the roster. Like I said, Bojan Bogdanovic if we sign him that's an improvement. There's ways to improve. Just takes a little work. Also, I think we'll improve just by the fact we have continuity, having guys back and familiar with each other."

On how the pain of Game 7 can help the team next season:

"I don't want to maintain it (success). We've got to look to improve. I think we've got to be hungrier than we were this year. We got to Game 7, but the pain those guys felt, we all felt as fans, and myself as general manager, and the players, it's got to be something that we don't want to have happen again. So, we've got to work harder this summer, and we've got to do a good job of bringing in individual talent that can help that, but the main thing is that we've got to remember the pain we felt after Game 7."

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