Word is that the Nets will begin pre-draft workouts on June 1, with 50 to 60 prospects invited to try out for the two, maybe three, picks the Nets are likely to have on June 25, one first at No. 29, one second at No. 41 and maybe another second rounder purchased during the draft. Billy King has said he'd like to move up.
That's a far cry from last year, when the Nets didn't work out players until June 23, days before the draft, and invited only 13 players, two of whom they ultimately drafted with purchased picks, Cory Jefferson and Xavier Thames. Of course, they went into the draft with no picks. The Nets did have a free agent camp last June, inviting 32 players to East Rutherford.
So far, only one name has emerged, Joseph Young, the 6'2" point guard from Oregon. He's told local media that he's in New Jersey on June 11. Young, the PAC-12 player of the year, is projected as a late second round pick, perhaps even undrafted.
Workouts could run right up to the day of the draft. One great advantage of having the draft in your home city is that you can work out players the morning of the draft at your own practice facility. Bojan Bogdanovic was worked out the morning off the 2011 Draft. It's particularly valuable for international players whose schedules can limit their ability to show off their skills to — and be interviewed by — NBA teams.
The final number of prospects will be determined by agents who set the schedules for their clients and sometimes will tell a team, "You have no chance of getting my guy so it’s not worth it to us to bring him in."
The large number has another value. Playing in two summer leagues, the Nets will need a lot of players to staff the teams. Mason Plumlee, Markel Brown and Jefferson are expected to play for the Nets, along with Thames, last year’s No. 59 pick. Add two or three picks and you still only have half a roster. Plumlee will likely be limited to one of the two. Billy King said Plumlee wants him to play some games. And the schedule will be grueling. Something like 11 games in 16 days. So those workouts will be for draft picks, training camp slots — and summer league.