There's been precious little buzz around who the Nets like in the draft. A lot of names have been floated, with the ones most mentioned in mocks (for either #27 or #36) being Kyle Singler, Malcolm Lee, Davis Bertans (likely to drop out of the draft), Jon Leuer, Nikola Vucevic, Justin Harper, Marshon Brooks, Josh Selby and Jeremy Tyler. More than half have been brought in for workouts or have had one scheduled. There will be more individual workouts...and a lot of discussions we won't be privy too.
Expect a lot of Springfield Armor news. The night of the draft, after the 60 will have been chosen, the Nets will be on the phone with the agents for several not taken, offering a spot in training camp in New Jersey, a job with Armor, and in some cases a partial contract guarantee, lockout depending. The Armor coaching staff and GM are likely to be named as well with D-League National Tryouts starting June 24 in Louisville. (And don't forget: Kris Humphries debuts in "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" 10 p.m. Sunday on E!)
June 11-13 - Adidas Treviso EuroCamp closes Sunday. European prospects gathered in Treviso, Italy, just outside Venice, to work out in front of NBA scouts and general managers. Nets' director of player personnel, Gregg Polinsky, and international scout, Danko Cvjeticanin, were in Treviso.
June 13 - NBA Early Entrant withdrawal deadline. Primarily applies to international players. Unlike college players, international players can re-sign overseas if there is a lockout. Expect two or maybe three first round Euro prospects to drop out, further weakening the draft. Of Nets interest, Bertans is likely to drop out.
June 17 - Theatrical debut for "Battle of Brooklyn" at Cinema Village in Manhattan. The movie chronicles arena critics' seven year long battle against Barclays Center and Atlantic Yards.
June 23 - NBA Draft, Prudential Center, Newark. With the Garden undergoing renovations, the Draft moves across the Hudson to Newark. If the draft were held today and no picks are added or subtracted before that night, the Nets will pick at #27 (Lakers) and #36. King has said the Nets are likely to be focusing on "wings and bigs" but will take the "best available player". Expect Nets to reach out to several undrafted players that night as well.
June 24-26 - D-League National Tryout, HOOPS, Louisville. Participants will be competing for the chance to sign an NBA D-League standard player contract and to be placed in the 2011 NBA D-League Draft, held in November. The Nets have set this week as a deadline for hiring at least the head coach for the Springfield Armor.
June 25 - Party Congress, Pravoye Delo, Moscow. Mikhail Prokhorov will become party leader of a small, liberal, pro-business political party. He will announce the party's plans and a new name at the congress.
June 27-30 - Nets basketball development camp, PNY Center. Avery Johnson, Kris Humphries and "special guests" will be on hand for the camp. No doubt some gossip writers will want press credentials too. Steel yourself, Suss.
June 27 - July 1 - Anthony Morrow Sharp Shooters Basketball Camp, Charlotte, NC. Expect Morrow and Hump, who is the Nets player rep, to get a lot of questions about the impending lockout.
June 30 - End of old collective bargaining agreement, possible start of lockout? Humphries, Sasha Vujacic, Dan Gadzuric, Brandan Wright and Ben Uzoh become free agents.
July 1 - First day teams can start talking with free agents. Expect deals to be announced but not signed the next day...as long as there's no lockout.
July 5 - Nets must decide whether to keep Stephen Graham for 2011-2012 season. If he is cut by July 5 the Nets owe him nothing. If they keep him, he gets a guaranteed $100,000.
July 18 - Assuming no lockout and no significant changes to the CBA (BIG assumptions), this is the first day Deron Williams could sign a contract extension with the Nets. Neither of those two assumptions are likely to turn into reality. So the D-Will signing saga is likely to move into the new season whenever and if ever it starts.
July 28 - Expected date for Barclays Center facade, its distinctive weathered steel skin, to start going up.