Nets' Bruce Brown believes he, Jevon Carter and DeAndre'Bembry will provide tough defense

Prior to beginning Summer League play Monday In Las Vegas, the Nets took the opportunity to introduce incoming veteran acquisitions Jevon Carter and DeAndre’ Bembry as well as their own returning free agent Bruce Brown. If there was a common theme, it was that those three all are expected to provide defensive backbone and toughness off the bench.

That will be a critical element for a team built around the offensive firepower of starters Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, James Harden, Joe Harris and Blake Griffin. Brown signed his $4.7 million qualifying offer to return, Carter was acquired in a draft night trade with the Suns, and Bembry left the Raptors in free agency to join the Nets, who also added tough free agent forward James Johnson.

Brown sounded as if the Nets are approaching the coming season with a chip on their shoulder following a second-round playoff loss in overtime of Game 7 to the eventual champion Bucks. "If we were healthy, I think everybody knows what would have happened," Brown said. "So really this year try to be healthy and continue to have the same mindset going through each game throughout the season and eventually win this thing.

"I was real salty all summer. I didn’t watch any basketball. I was just [upset] that we lost. I can’t wait to get back there and then win."

Brown welcomed the addition of offensively explosive free-agent point guard Patty Mills to the Nets’ second unit, but he stressed the importance of the defense he expects to bring along with Carter and Bembry. "I don’t think there’s going to be any easy buckets, I’ll tell you that," Brown said.

"Jevon, we actually had a few pre-draft workouts together, and he was picking me up 94 feet, which was nuts. Great defender, good dude off the court. Bembry, I don’t know him too well, but I know he plays extremely hard and always defends and competes."

Carter averaged just 12 minutes per game for the Suns last season and saw minor action in just seven of their 22 games as they reached the Finals. But he has a clear idea of the role the Nets expect him to play.

"Defense is very personal," Carter said. "I felt like that’s just a must. You’re going to have games where you’re scoring and not scoring, but you shouldn’t have a game where you’re just bad defensively. That should never happen. That’s just a must, and that’s just who I am."

Bembry, who followed Irving at St. Patrick’s high school in Elizabeth, N.J. and has a long relationship with him, echoed Carter’s thoughts about the defense the Nets are seeking.

"The Nets need some guys who can go out there and guard and compete," Bembry said. "I know their system, the opportunity was on the table, and I wanted to take advantage of it and build the relationship from there."

Notes & quotes: The Nets dropped their Summer League opener to the Grizzlies, 91-84, but got 17 points from first-round pick Cam Thomas. "He kind of carried us with the second unit in the third quarter," coach Jordan Ott said. "You could see his skill set.". . . the Nets officially re-signed veteran big man Blake Griffin.

By Greg Logan

Gregory.Logan@newsday.comGregLogan1

Greg Logan has worked for Newsday since 1982 covering a wide array of sports and events, currently including the Brooklyn Nets beat.