Deadlines and Commitments - XLVIII

The trade season is upon us. So far, there's been little activity, attributed to a several factors. More than 130 free agents can't be traded till March 1 and rookies can't be traded till this week, a month after they were signed.

Moreover, teams have been reluctant to make major moves until they see how their personnel are performing and how their teams are meshing. After next week, GM's should have a good idea about both and be more willing to make and take calls. So, expect more of what we saw this week, a three-way deal involving the 76ers, Hornets and Grizzlies.

January 9 - First day MarShon Brooks and Jordan Williams can be traded.

January 9-12 - D-League Showcase in Reno. All sixteen teams travel participate in games and skills contests similar to NBA All-Star Weekend.

January 18 - USA Basketball will contact the 18 players it wants to invite to Team USA tryouts in Las Vegas after the season. Expect Deron Williams to get a call.

February - Brooklyn Nets will reportedly unveil their new colors and logo, but NOT their new uniform.

February 1 - Earliest possible date for Brook Lopez's recovery from a broken foot. He injured it in a preseason game December 21. Recuperation was expected to last six to eight weeks.

February 6 - 10-day contracts can be signed; Last day 13 players can dress and play. After this date, teams can dress 13 players but only 12 can play; first of five games that Nets will dress in retro New York Nets uniforms.

February 10 - Non-guaranteed deals become fully guaranteed. That would appear to apply to Dennis Horner, who has a non-guaranteed deal.

February 22 - First day Mehmet Okur can be traded in multi-player deal. He can traded one-for-one at any time.

February 26 - NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. Pundits doubt the Magic want to see Howard in another team's uniform during All-Star weekend. However, what's the alternative? Having the All-Star Game dominated by trade talks? Choose your poison, Richard DeVos.

March 1 - First day teams can trade players they signed as free agents in 2011. For the Nets, that's Shelden Williams, Shawne Williams, Kris Humphries and DeShawn Stevenson.

March 4 - Russian Presidential Election

March 15 - NBA trade deadline, 6 p.m. ET

March 16 - Nets travel to Orlando.

March 23 - Last day to sign a player and have him be playoff-eligible

April 26 - Regular Season Ends, last regular season game in New Jersey. Playoffs anyone?

June 28 - NBA Draft in Newark. Number of picks currently owned by the Brooklyn Nets (and by this point they will be be the Brooklyn Nets): three, their own and the Rockets' (lottery-protected) first round picks plus the Heat's second round pick, which could be the last pick in the draft.

August 30 - Expected completion date for The Barclays Center. Might slip a few days. Expect a couple of shakeout events in early September. Moved back from August 27.

September 28 - Opening Night, The Barclays Center. Jay-Z will open the arena with a series of concerts.

October 17 - Arena construction documents list this date as possible preseason game at the arena.

October 31 - Opening Night for the Brooklyn Nets, according to those same documents. Arena officials note that this is simply a target date, not set in stone.