2011 NBA Draft

Longtime Nets scout says NBA talent evaluation often racially based

Deadlines and Commitments - LX

We update our calendar of events. The big new additons: Billy King's trip to Istanbul to meet with Bojan Bogdanovic and watch the Euroleague Final Four; and the Nets first free agent mini-camp where we are promised recognizable names will drop by for a look-see.

D-Will Blog, "Live from Turkey", To Appear on ESPN NewYork

It turns out that Deron Williams' diary on ESPN NewYork --the one that ended with a shoutout to Nets fans-- is just a start. ESPN NewYork and Williams announced Thursday that they are combining on a blog about Williams' experience in Turkey, entitled, "Live from Turkey". It will also appear on D-Will's official website.

D-Will Pens Diary on Turkish Journey

Deron Williams is writing a diary for ESPN New York, detailing his --and his family's-- experiences as they live, work and play in Istanbul. Every week "until D-Will returns to the Garden State", he will chronicle what's happening in Turkey, whether it's a lost passport delaying the start of the trip, his difficult transition to European ball or his general comfort level.

Pundit Look at Nets Cap Omits a Bit

Every year, NBADraft.net produces a "State of the Cap" report on each of the NBA's 30 times and Friday, it was the Nets' turn. In general, it's factually correct, other an occasional good (Travis Outlaw has four years left on his contract, not three).

D-Will Done Deal? Not Yet

Deron Williams has tweeted that it's "official", even posting his signature on a contract with Besiktas of Istanbul. Not so fast, reports Sean Deveney of Sporting News. Until FIBA, basketball's governing body, declares the contract legal, Deveney asks, is it binding and is he bound for Turkey.

Is D-Will Prepared for Fans Throwing Heated Coins, Rocks at Players?

Shannon Owens is a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, whose brother Chris plays overseas. After chatting with his brother, he points out an occupational hazard Deron Williams will have to deal with in the Turkish Basketball League: unruly and aggressive fans...very aggressive fans who throw heated coins and rocks.

Danko Cvjeticanin's Net Connection

In a video that's now gone down the NBA memory hole, Billy King credited Danko Cvjeticanin with a big part of the Nets Draft Night success. Who? The Nets' international scout, that's who. He highly recommended Bojan Bogdanovic, a fellow Croatian, who Chad Ford has said may be the "steal of the draft", even if the Nets have to wait.

NetsDaily Off-Season Report #12

Now, what do we do? Not much and not for a long, long time. Oh, we'll be able to update the arena construction progress; any developments with the Springfield Armor who WILL play starting in November; wedding announcements from Kris and Kim, Sasha and Masha or who knows, Jordan and Jill! Of course, there will be election news from Russia

Nets Continue to Score High in NBA Analysts' Draft Grades

Two very different analysts are giing the Nets high Draft grades, David Aldridge, NBA.com's veteran analyst put the Nets in his "head of the class" category, the only one of nine teams in that grouping without a pick in the top 25. Dave Berri, a stats geek at Wages of Wins Journal, gave the Nets an "A", best in the Altantic.

J-Will - A Diamond in the Rough?

Jordan Williams was taken in the second round of what is generally believed to be a bad draft. Unlike MarShon Brooks and Bojan Bogdanovic, the Nets didn't trade for a pick or buy a pick to get him at #36. But a lot of people, including the front office, think he could be solid piece next season.

Personality Provides MarShon Brooks With Reward..and Risk

Like Chris Douglas-Roberts, MarShon Brooks talks about the draft adding weight to the chip already on his shoulder, but unlike CDR, he also talks about being "scared" of being able to compete with NBA payers. Like Derrick Favors, he arrives with tons of promise, but unlike Favors, Brooks also shows off his personality.

Nets Hoping to Free Up Bogdanovic for Brooklyn Debut, Says King

The big news out of the Nets' press conference Monday morning was that while Bojan Bogdanovic has a three year deal with Euroleague powerhouse Fenerbahce and a two year player out, the Nets will try to get him out of his deal after next season...and into Brooklyn as a Net.

What Did Prokhorov Pay for Pick?

The official press release states that the Nets sent their 2013 second rounder and unspecified "cash considerations" to Minnesota in return for the Timberwolves' rights to Bojan Bogdanovic, the Croatian shooting guard who the team had wanted to pick up all Draft Night. So how much did Prokhorov pay?

Workout Hints From Bogdanovic, Williams? Not Really.

Nets fans will get more answers Monday morning on how the team's three draft choices felt about being selected by New Jersey. We went back to the interviews two of them, Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Williams, gave to beat reporters after their Nets workouts June 14 and June 15. MarShon Brooks declined a Nets workout.

How Loss of Forward, Coaching Flaws Led to Brooks' Opportunity

Kevin McNamara covers the Providence Friars for the local paper and was in Newark Thursday to see how local players, particularly MarShon Brooks, would do in the NBA Draft. At the end of the night, as Brooks was exiting the Prudential Center, he saw an old teammate, Jemine "Greedy" Peterson who in spite of some solid workouts didn't make the cut. In that, was an irony.

Bogdanovic Tells a Croatian Website: "I Will Play Two Years in Turkey"

Although Nets officials have said they expect Bojan Bogdanovic to join the Nets in Brooklyn in 2012-13 , he tells a Croatian website: "I will certainly do the two years contract with Fenerbahce, and then we'll see. I want to play in Europe, even thrive. There is time for the NBA ."

NetsDaily Off-Season Report #11

This could the last off-season report for a while. If the NBA goes on lockout, no need for weekly summaries of players and owners screaming at each other or the latest skinny on Springfield Armor roster moves.

J-Will Ready For Nets Challenge

First came the announcement on ESPN that Jordan Williams had been selected by the Nets with the 36th pick in the draft, which led to an emotional moment caught on camera. Then, came the phone call from Avery Johnson, congratulating him and telling him what the Nets expected of him.

Avery Happy With Picks; Brooks Can Compete for Rotation, Says King

Avery Johnson spent Thursday afternoon and evening at the PNY Center, 10 miles north of where David Stern (and Adam Silver) called out names of draft picks, a roll that included three Nets picks, including one, MarShon Brooks, who no one thought would be available.

Bogdanovic Trade Is Official

The Nets announced Friday that they have officially acquired the draft rights to Bojan Bogdanovic, the 6'8" swingman from Croatia.

Emotions Overcome Williams As He Watches Nets Take Him at #36

Sitting in his hometown of Torrington, CT, Thursday night, Jordan Williams didn't know what to expect. As team after team made their pick, anxiety built up and when the Nets made him their choice at #36, he succumbed to all the emotions, collapsing in tears...and all of it on camera.

Draft Grades Begin to Roll In

We're happy to report the general assessment of the Nets' haul is that the Nets got mostly B's, with some going as high as B+. Draftniks' general impression is that if you start with #27 and #36 and wind up with the second highest scorers in the NCAA and Euroleague, there's little to complain about.

From Jersey Shore to Jersey Sure: Who Knew Brooks from N.J.?

MarShon Brooks (not Marshon) thought he'd be taken at #15 by the Pacers. So did the Nets. That's where they had him on their in-house Draft Board. But Kawhi Leonard had fallen out of the top 10 and the temptation proved too great for Larry Bird and so Brooks kept falling and falling until Billy King scooped him up in a trade with Boston at #25.

Bogdanovic To Stay a Year In Turkey

Reports out of Europe, confirmed by team officials, indicate that Bojan Bogdanovic, the 6'7" swingman who the Nets acquired in a complicated three way deal Thursday, will stay in Europe, with his Turkish team for the 2011-12 season, joining the Brooklyn Nets the following season.

Nets Trade for MarShon Brooks, Buy Rights to Bojan Bogdanovic, Take Jordan Williams in King's First Draft

Nets trade for Marshon Brooks

NetsDaily Draft Day Live Chat

All spring long, the mantra has been the same out of the PNY Center: the Nets will pick the best player available, but into that formula is fed the team's desire to get an NBA-ready player, a third or fourth year player who is athletic and preferably plays the wing.

Nets Draft Names Down To Four: Jackson, Harper, Smith, Goudelock?

Everybody has names, but no one has the name, the player at the top of the Nets list. A lot of pundits, beat reporters and draftniks think it's Justin Harper or Nolan Smith. Chad Ford hasn't relented in his belief that it's Reggie Jackson of Boston College through three mock drafts. And there's always someone no one's thought of.

Draft Night Wonders and Blunders - And Now, Killer B's Opening Night

So what did happen over the last decade inside the Nets' War Room on past June nights? We try to pull together all the things that went right--and went wrong--in the Rod Thorn era. Now, it's on to the Billy King and Bobby Marks Era

Avery: "In Constant Communication with Deron" on Draft, Other Issues

Avery Johnson, talking with reporters at Tuesday night's Brooklyn Cyclones game, said the the Nets are "going to get our guy"and that team ownership and management are in "constant communication" with Deron Williams on a variety of issues, including the draft.

In SB Nation Mock, Nets Take Butler

SB Nation, NetsDaily's parent organization, is running a mock draft Wednesday in which bloggers play the role of GM and take who they think is the player best suited to their team's needs. And in the SB Nation 2011 NBA Mock Draft, the New Jersey Nets, represented by SB Nation's NetsDaily, selects Marquette forward Jimmy Butler.

Will "Conversations" Lead to Draft Day Deals? King Says They Might

The names keep getting shuffled. Iman Shumpert of Georgia Tech (who last year Nets officials were blaming for Derrick Favors' lack of development) is one who the Nets might trade up to get.. Justin Harper and Nolan Smith are the most mentioned, along with Josh Selby and JaJuan Johnson.