LAS VEGAS — The Nets are hell-bent on supporting their Big 3 with perimeter defense. They doubled down on that Friday after missing out on Andre Iguodala by signing DeAndre’ Bembry.
Bembry, 27, inked on a one-year deal, which was first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Post.
The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Bembry played his first four seasons for the Hawks, then signed a two-year contract with the Raptors worth $4 million. After averaging 5.1 points and shooting just 26.4 percent from 3-point range this season, however, he was waived Tuesday.
The Nets’ needs are defensive, and Bembry often guarded the best opposing scorer. He averaged more than a steal per game while guarding the one, two and three spots. That’s very on-brand with the Nets’ offseason so far.
The Nets not only kept Bruce Brown for the qualifying offer, but beat out the Lakers and Warriors to land Patty Mills with the mid-level exception, traded for Jevon Carter, inked James Johnson and drafted 3-and-D Kessler Edwards.
Bembry, a product of St. Patrick High School in Elizabeth, N.J., is the nephew of 1980s Iona star Gary Springer and cousin of the 76ers’ Jaden Springer. In the past, he has worn No. 95 to honor his brother Adrian, who was shot and killed trying to break up a fight in 2016.
DeAndre’ Bembry is joining the Nets. APThe Nets will tip off NBA Summer League on Monday, and it’ll be a chance for Reggie Perry — one of just two Nets roster players in Las Vegas — to show his wares.
Jordan Ott, the Nets’ summer league coach, praised Perry’s versatility and said he had two solid practices. Now it’s up to Perry, 21, to keep improving daily.
“They really just told me he just wanted to see me compete. Just come see me be a leader out here, just have a great week on and off the court,” Perry told The Post. “Just being a great teammate and just compete.
“For sure, this is a big opportunity to show the growth the good things that I worked on during the season, even when I wasn’t playing. … It’s a big opportunity for that. That’s what they’re looking forward to seeing.”
Perry was MVP of the U19 FIBA World Cup two years ago, starring on a loaded U.S. team, which had eight players go in the lottery the past two drafts, including the top five picks last week. He dominated in the G-League as a rookie, but logged just 211 minutes with the Nets.
The next two weeks will give him a chance to impress, as much off the court as on.
“Day-to-day approach. In the gym work,” Ott told The Post. “It’s not easy to go from playing every day to in the NBA, where you’re on a championship-level team that you may not see time for weeks. So he did a good job throughout the year in the stay-ready group. Now he’s able to be here and show what he’s developed.
“But his versatility defensively helps us. He’ll be able to get on the perimeter and guard. And then offensively, we’ll play through him here in summer league. Not only pick-and-roll, but he’ll be able to be the decision-maker in some actions.”







