It's a combination of bad news and news from Europe and Springfield that drives our latest edition of Deadlines & Commitments. The Calendar of Dread, dates that ultimately lead to the season's cancellation, is the driving force, with some dates related to Istanbul and Springfield thrown in.
We start with this afternoon's match-up between Deron Williams and Bojan Bogdanovic and end with the date the union has said is probably the last chance for any semblance of even a shortened season.
November 6 - Bogdanovic's Fenerbahce meets D-Will's Besiktas in Turkish League game.
November 8 - Besiktas (Williams) and B.C. Armia of Georgia (Sundiata Gaines) open their EuroChallenge seasons, Besiktas against Leiden of the Netherlands and Armia against Gottingen of Germany.
November 9 - NBA Deadline for players' union to accept its latest contract offer or owners will revert to a more draconian proposal.
November 12 - Armor training camp opens in Springfield. Bob MacKinnon Jr. and Chris Carrawell will have 17 hopefuls on hand: six returnees, seven draft picks and four players from the team's open tryouts. D-League teams carry only 10 players so a lot of cutting to do.
November 15 - First missed paycheck for most NBA players. Most players are paid bi-weekly and their contracts run basically on the same schedule as normal season. Some players get paid in a lump sum, others on an annual basis, meaning their last paycheck with July 1.
November 15 - Nets point guards go up against each other in EuroChallenge match. Williams' Besiktas hosts Gaines' B.C. Armia in Istanbul.
November 25 - Springfield Armor Opening Night. Armor vs. Maine Red Claws in Springfield.
November 30 - Earliest possible start for shortened NBA season. Don't bank on it.
December 19 - Last day of Fall Semester for undergraduate courses at Providence College. MarShon Brooks completes his degree requirements.
December 30 - Efes Anadolu plays Besiktas in the Turkish League. Sasha Vujacic vs. D-Will...if the lockout is still on.
January 7 - If no agreement by this date, expect the entire 2011-12 season will be canceled.
*Whenever the Nets open their season, they have to decide by the night before whether to extend Stephen Graham's contract, at the veteran's minimum.