Avery Johnson doesn't sound like someone about to trade Derrick Favors and even hints Favprs could start this season.  Reporters caught up with Johnson as he moved between Newark and Brooklyn on a motivational speaking tour of local schools, talking to students as young as kindergarten.

Signing Joe Smith "was a very strategic move to help Favors development," Johnson told Stefan Bondy.  About Favors' physical development, the coach said, "It’s going to be incremental, steady progress. We’re not going to have Karl Malone overnight."  He told Jonathan Abrams, "He’s a bright kid. He retains a lot of information, he’s getting stronger and stronger every day."

Johnson added that the roster isn't necessarily set for training camp. "Nope. We're never done with Billy King at the helm."  Johnson also got in some praise for Barclays Center, saying it would be the "Taj Mahal of all basketball arenas."

Meanwhile, the guy who took Favors in the draft, Rod Thorn, told 76er beat writers that he might take time to  develop, but "in time he has the chance to be a prototypical power forward from the standpoint of rebounding and defense. When you put him with Brook Lopez  [if he develops] I think you have a center/power forward combination that will be comparable to any in the league".

• Nets' New Coach Likes His 'Blank Sheet' - Jonathan Abrams - New York Times
• The Nets new plan: 2012 - Kurt Helin - NBC Sports
  
• Avery takes motivational tour of local schools - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
• Nets Coach Avery Johnson Speaks to Students at Burnet St. School in Newark - Amanda Brown - Star-Ledger
  
• Rod Thorn conference call - Derek Bodner - Liberty Ballers
• Times reports on school visit by Nets coach and two dancers: "Nets Already In Brooklyn" - Norman Oder - Atlantic Yards Report