Brooklyn Nets "leaning" towards using Mini-MLE on Bojan Bogdanovic

We've been down this road before but Ohm Youngmisuk reports the Nets are "leaning" towards bringing Bojan Bogdanovic over from Europe, paying him the mini-MLE originally earmarked for Shaun Livingston. The mini-MLE pays $3.3 million in the first year and $10.3 over three.

NetsDaily can confirm the report.

Bogdanovic was drafted in the second round in 2011 after the Nets paid Minnesota $1.5 million. He's played in Europe since for Fenerbahce of Istanbul in the Euroleague as well as for the Croatian national team in FIBA competition. Last year, he was named to the first team at the FIBA Eurobasket all-star team. He was the only member of the first team to not have played in the NBA.

Last summer, the Nets and Bogdanovic were close to an agreement but the size of his buyout from Fener -- $2 million -- prevented a deal from getting done and the Nets used the mini -MLE on Andrei Kirilenko. He is a free agent this summer and has no buyout.

Bogdanovic, who'll be 25 at the start of next season, is a swingman who Fener had been using this seasonas a point forward, initiating pick-and-rolls. He regularly hits 40 percent from deep and gets to the line frequently.  He's better than average as a passer and improving on defense. Billy King described recently as "a poor man's Peja Stojakovic." When drafted, the Nets international scout, Danko Cvjeticanin called him a cross between Stojakovic and Carlos Delfino.

The Nets have almost traded his rights on a number of occasions, including as recently as Thursday. A league source said the Nets could have used his rights and other assets to acquire a first round pick but chose not to.

Although Bogdanovic was reported to have verbally committed to new deal with Fener, he never signed the contract.

• Source: Brooklyn Nets considering Bojan Bogdanovic - Mike Mazzeo - ESPN New York