ORLANDO, Fla. — It took a pair of point guards to recruit another one to the Nets.
Jason Kidd and Deron Williams put in recruiting calls to Shaun Livingston, which helped convince the 6-foot-7 point guard to spend next season in Brooklyn.
“I called him and told him we need him in Brooklyn,” Kidd said with a smile after the Nets lost 98-69 to the Jazz in summer league action Wednesday.
With the NBA’s moratorium on transactions lifted Wednesday, the Nets finally were able to talk about a pair of previously reported transactions — signing Livingston and re-signing Andray Blatche.
“Obviously I like our starting five,” Nets general manager Billy King said with a smile, referring to the group he will not be able to officially talk about until tomorrow, when the blockbuster trade with the Celtics becomes official. “We’re pretty good there.
“Re-signing Blatche gives us depth in our frontcourt. Shaun gives us the ability to move Deron to the off-guard at times. His passing ability is something I always liked.
“I think back to when I was trying to trade Allen Iverson [when King was the GM in Philadelphia], he was the one piece I was trying to get back from the Clippers. But “I think his basketball acumen and the way he plays will fit in greatly with our backcourt.”
In Livingston, the Nets get a player who has good floor vision and, thanks to his length, is a versatile defender that can play at either guard spot, allowing the Nets to be able to play Williams at shooting guard free him up for some extra scoring opportunities.
Livingston also has fought his way back from a gruesome left knee injury he suffered while with the Clippers in 2007, playing for several teams the past few seasons, including the Wizards and Cavaliers last season. After being waived by Washington, Livingston was claimed by Cleveland, where he spent the rest of the season and averaged 7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game.
“I’ve always respected his game, and the biggest part that I felt that he is a competitor after the injury,” Kidd said.
“After a serious injury like that, guys will maybe give it one try and if it doesn’t work. … He’s a guy that’s worked extremely hard to get back to a high level, and I wanted him on board. Billy, he did the rest. I just tried to talk him into coming, and I’m glad he decided to come.”
Blatche was one of the biggest value signings of the offseason a year ago for the Nets, giving them 10.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while playing on a minimum contract that initially was non-guaranteed after he was waived by the Wizards last summer. He will represent a similar bargain for the Nets this season after signing a $1.4 million deal with a player option for next season.
He also will give the Nets a scoring threat at either power forward or center who will help them keep down Kevin Garnett’s minutes while also continuing to spell Brook Lopez, as he did last year in forming the league’s most effective 1-2 punch at the pivot.
“Andray, I think he’s great,” Kidd said. “He had a great year for Brooklyn, and he’s another guy that can play multiple positions.
“He’s a guy who can put the ball on the floor, he can pass and he can score. He’s a born scorer. I’ve liked what I’ve seen on tape and talked to him about being able to play different positions.”