Let the (European) games begin. Over the next two weeks, Deron Williams and Jordan Farmar will begin their European adventure in earnest as they move from friendly tournaments to games that matter. D-Will will be up first on September 27, a week from Tuesday, when Besiktas hosts Dexia Mons of Belgium. In the meantime, Farmar, now of Maccabi Tel Aviv, will first play in a "friendly" tournament in France, then move to Slovenia for Opening Night of the Adriatic League. We pay attention to when Nets players will go one-on-one.
We've also scrubbed Deadlines and Commitments of any reference to Mikhail Prokhorov's political career. We no longer care about the Duma elections in December. Of course, we can't yet scrub the calendar of dread, the dates by which training camp, preseason and regular season have to be canceled.
September 22 - No official date has been set for the cancellation of training camp or preseason games, but this is generally seen as the drop-dead date for that decision. No progress, no preseason.
September 22 - September 25 - Farmar gets his first taste of Euroleague action when Maccabi Tel Aviv plays Cholet of France in a preseason game, opening night of the French "Pro Stars" tourney. David Blatt, Team Russia's American-born coach, directs Maccabi.
September 27 - Besiktas opens season with important EuroCup game vs Dexia Mons-Hainaut of Belgium at the BJK Akatlar Turka Cola arena (capacity 3,200). Williams' home debut.
September 29 - Bogdanovic and Fenerbahce Ulker play in Munich vs. Bayern Munich. Bayern features undrafted Notre Dame point guard Ben Hansbrough who the Nets wanted to invite to training camp.
October 1 - NBA training camps scheduled to open.
October 1 - Opening Night of the Adriatic League. Maccabi Tel Aviv, which plays in the Adriatic, Israeli and Euro leagues, travels to Slovenia to play Novo Mesto.
October 1 - October 2 - Two Nations Tournament in Istanbul. Bogdanovic's Fener and Sasha Vujacic 's Efes Anadolu play Olympiacos and Panathinaikos of Greece
October 4 - Besiktas plays Dexia Mons-Hainaut at the Mons Arena (capacity 3,700) in Belgium.
October 7 - October 9 - Turkish Cup Tournament in Istanbul. Williams plays for Besiktas, Bogdanovic plays for Fenerbahce Ulker; ex-Net Sasha Vujacic plays for Efes. D-Will's first chance to examine Bogdanovic's game.
October 9 - October 10 - "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event" on E! Two hours, Two nights. Too much.
October 13 - Nets vs. 76ers preseason game at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton. First of eight preseason games, which may or may not be played. Three of the Nets' preseason games would be played at the Prudential Center: October 18 vs. New York, October 20 vs. Philadelphia, and October 24 vs. Boston. The Nets would also visit the Celtics on October 26 and the Knicks on October 28.
October 15 - Drop-dead date for losing regular season games. In 1998 lockout, the league canceled the first two weeks of the regular season on October 13.
October 15 - Opening Night of Turkish League. Williams plays for Besiktas vs. Bandirma Kir, Bogdanovic plays for Fenerbahce Ulker vs. Trabzonspor; Vujacic plays for Efes Anadolu vs. Erdemir. None of the three go up against one another for another three weeks.
October 16 - Opening Night of the Israeli League. Farmar's Maccabi Tel Aviv plays Gilboa/Galil Elion in Tel Aviv.
October 20 - Euroleague opens this weekend. Farmar plays for Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Armani Milano of Italy; Bogdanovic plays for Fenerbache vs. Caja Laboral of Spain. Vujacic plays for Efes Anadolu vs. Partizan.
October 31 - Sundiata Gaines and B.C. Armia open their defense the Georgia SuperLeague title.
November 1 - If lockout is over and Nets are preparing for a November 2 opening night, this is the day the Nets have to decide on extending Stephen Graham's contract.
November 1 - Likely date for D-League Draft (which is done by conference call). Armor have no first round pick, having traded it last year for Scottie Reynolds.
November 2 - If no lockout, Nets open season, their last in New Jersey, with a road game in Washington.
November 5 - If no lockout, Nets' home opener, vs. Pistons at Prudential Center. If there's a lockout, Williams will plays against Bogdanovic, the Nets second round pick as Besiktas takes on Fenerbahce Ulker in Istanbul.
November 8 - B.C. Armia of Georgia opens its EuroChallenge season in Gottingen, Germany, with Gaines at the point.
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 the season. Some players get paid in a lump sum, others on an annual basis, meaning their last paycheck with July 1.
November 25 - Springfield Armor Opening Night, at home...Armor vs. Maine Red Claws.
December 30 - Efes Anadolu plays Besiktas in the Turkish League. Vujacic vs. D-Will...if the lockout is still on.
January 6 - If no agreement by this date, expect the entire 2011-12 season will be canceled.