The Draft is Thursday, the start of free agency is Sunday (at midnight). But beyond that are other dates, including the July 11 -18 amnesty period; Orlando Summer League starting July 9; the London Olympics where the Nets will hopefully have more than one representative; then the build-up to Barclays Center and opening night. There's even some Croatian National Team exhibitions which we'll cover as long as Bojan Bogdanovic is still on the team.
So sit back and try to relax, think happy thoughts and everything will be alright. That's what the Nets will tell you.
June 28 - NBA Draft in Newark. Don't be surprised if the Nets acquire a mid-round pick now that they don't have their own pick or the Rockets' pick until 2013. It's already being discussed. The Nets do have the Heat's second round pick, which is #57. And yes, you can get value that late. Isaiah Thomas, the Kings staring PG, went at #60 in 2011.
June 29 - Front offices around the league start calling undrafted players, inviting them to Summer League competition.
June 30 - Decision Day on player options, early termination options, qualifying offers, etc. Deron Williams has said he will opt out of his last year ($17.8 million). Jordan Farmar ($4.25 million) must decide whether to stay through 2012-13 or become an unrestricted free agent. There are no team options. Also, Gerald Green, Kris Humphries, Shelden Williams, Damion James, Sundiata Gaines, DeShawn Stevenson and Armon Johnson become unrestricted free agents. Nets must tender Brook Lopez a qualifying offer or he becomes an unrestricted free agent. Some front office deals expire as well.
July 1 - Teams can contact free agents and this is often the first day news breaks about free agents' intentions. Teams interested in Brook Lopez can formulate offers which the Nets would have three days to match or lose his rights. For those thinking tours of the Barclays Center might be in order that week, the arena should be looking a lot like a finished product, with the scoreboard and other LED installations nearly complete and seating almost all in place.
July 6 - July 11 - Team USA will train daily at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Deron Williams has been invited and has said he would like to have his contract issues resolved by the Olympics, meaning by this date. Until he actually signs, he will only go through light workouts and strength and conditioning.
July 8 - Final Team USA roster must be set.
July 9 - July 16 - Orlando Summer League. Who might be there? Draft picks? MarShon Brooks and Jordan Williams are expected to be there. Armor center Jeff Foote and former Hornet lottery pick Julian Wright have accepted invitations. Expect roster to be D-League heavy. You don't play 50 games in the D-League without developing ideas on who's worth inviting.
July 11 - Teams can begin signing free agents.
July 11 - 18 - Teams can waive players under the amnesty clause of the new CBA. Only players signed before July 1, 2011 are eligible but a team can only amnesty one player over the course of the CBA. Seven teams, including the Nets, have waived players under the clause. After a player is waived, teams that are under the cap can bid on the player. The highest bid gets the contract. Among players who could be waived: Elton Brand by the 76ers.
July 12 - Team USA plays Dominican Republic (Al Horford, Charlie Villanueva and Francisco Garcia) in Las Vegas, then breaks camp.
July 13 - 16 - Team USA training moves to Washington, D.C., concluding with an exhibition vs. Brazil (Tiago Splitter, Anderson Varejao). Top free agents an Acela ride away.
July 17- 19 - Team USA moves to Europe where it will stay through August 12. First stop is in Manchester, England, Team USA has an exhibition game July 19 against Team Great Britain (Luol Deng, Ben Gordon) at the Manchester Arena.
July 22 - 24 - Team USA celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Dream Team with exhibition games in Barcelona, site of the 1992 Olympics, against Argentina (Manu Ginobili, Luis Scola, Andres Nocioni) on July 22 and Spain (Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol and Jose Calderon) on July 24.
July 26 - September 11 - Croatia's National Team is not in the Olympics, but it will play 15 games this summer, startgin July 26 vs. the Swiss National Team. Still no word on Bojan Bogdanovic's buyout. One set of games that could be of interest to Nets fans: the Ex-Yugo Tournament starting August 5. Croatia will play Bosnia: Bogdanovic vs. Mirza Teletovic.
July 27 – August 12 - 2012 Summer Olympics in London. First mens' basketball game is against France at. 9:30 a.m. ET (2:30 p.m. local) on July 29. Deron Williams likely to be only Net playing at the Olympics, unless he leaves, they draft a European in June or acquire and international player like Andrei Kirilenko in July. France did not offer Johan Petro a slot on Les Bleus, its Olympic team. Bojan Bogdanovic's Croatian team doesn't have an invite.
Early August - NBA schedule is released. Nets fans will learn who the team will play in its inaugural game at Barclays Center. Will it be the Knicks?
September 5 - Expected completion date for Barclays Center. Expect a couple of shakeout events in early September. Moved back from August 27.
September 13 -16 - Basketball Without Borders, Russia. Expect some Nets' representation at this first BWB event in Russia.
September (TBD) - Nets new uniform design to be unveiled, just before training camp. Also, like the Nets team identity, expect the design to be leaked.
September 28 - Opening Night, Barclays Center. Jay-Z will open the arena with a concert.
October 1 - Nets training camp opens this week.
October 2 - First sporting event at Barclays, a preseason NHL game between the Islanders and Devils.
October 17 - Arena construction documents list this date as first preseason game at the arena. It will likely be earlier.
October 31 - Opening Night for the Brooklyn Nets, according to those same documents. Arena officials note that this is simply a target date, not set in stone.