#Nets face stiff competition to bring back Joe Harris

Joe Harris wants to return to Brooklyn. The Nets — from general manager Sean Marks to new coach Steve Nash — want the same thing.

Making it happen is another thing altogether.

Harris is an unrestricted free agent, one who Marks has called the Nets’ top priority. And he’s expected to have plenty of suitors this offseason.

“He ticks a lot of boxes for any team,” said a league source.

The first is 3-point shooting. The league’s second-best shooter over the past three seasons, Harris could be courted not only by teams with plenty of cash and no shooting (Knicks, Hawks) but in sign-and-trades as well.

Harris said in February his preference was to re-sign with Brooklyn to play with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and has steadfastly maintained the same position up until now.

“Definitely. Why wouldn’t you?” Harris said. “Those are guys I’ve gotten close with now that I’ve been with them this past year. They’re obviously incredible players. You see what they’re able to do when they are healthy and playing. I don’t think there’s anybody in the NBA who wouldn’t want to play with those guys.”

The Nets are already committed to a dozen players for $132 million next season, not including Harris or a $5 million team option on Garrett Temple. Bringing back their sniper is the first goal of free agency.

“Priority No. 1. It’s that simple, yeah,” Marks told YES Network. “Signing him and seeing him with this group will certainly be a priority for us.”

It’s easy to see why. Harris’ 43.9 percent shooting from deep since 2017-18 is second only to Seth Curry (min. 100 attempts, according to Elias Sports Bureau). He’s been a bargain at $7.7 million this season, and agent Mark Bartelstein seems sure to get him a raise. But how much, and from who?

“[Nash] just talked about how he felt about me as a player and wanted me to come back and be in Brooklyn,” Harris said.

Though Nash didn’t mention Harris by name in his introductory press conference, he intimated he’d like to have the former 3-point champ back.

“I expect the core to be there,” Nash said. “I’m planning on this core being there.”

Ex-Nets assistant GM Bobby Marks — now with ESPN — said if Harris got a starting salary of $12.2 million, the Nets could face a $50 million luxury tax. Some around the NBA opined Harris could earn as much as $15 million annually.

The most logical landing spot is the closest: Across the East River in the Garden.

The Knicks have money to burn with $47 million in cap room, and while hope always springs eternal they will land a superstar after next season, they have to eventually start showing some improvement on the court to finally land a star. Harris would help toward that end.

They have invested heavy draft capital in lottery-pick young wings RJ Barrett and Kevin Knox, and have yet another lottery pick this offseason. But Barrett didn’t make the all-rookie team, and the Knicks finished dead last in the NBA in 3-pointers made (9.6) and third-worst in shooting percentage behind the arc (.337).

Atlanta would love to take some pressure off young star Trae Young. The Hawks were dead last in 3-point percentage, making just 33.3 percent, and are sitting on a league-high trove of $49 million in cap space.

There are other teams with space such as Charlotte or Minnesota, with the Timberwolves having a very Nets-like profile (hoisting the third-most 3s at 39.7 per game) with assistant GM Gianluca Pascucci. But a source said there has been interest in Harris sign-and-trades, with capped-out teams like the 76ers or Warriors being potential fits.