Other than agita, of course. Nets types offer words like "confident" and "comfortable" when discussing how things look as they move into the draft and free agency, where nothing less than the future of the franchise will be on the line. Best of luck to all of them.
Here's a quick look at the key dates coming up, some of which are set in stone, some of which are flexible.
June 27 - Billy King will have a media availability at 10 a.m. at the PNY Center to discuss the Draft and free agency.
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...and budgeted for. 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. Immediately following the draft, front offices around the league start calling undrafted players, inviting them to Summer League. Teams, agents and players have already talked.
June 29 - Although contracts runs out on June 30, players and teams will be letting the NBA know Friday about options and the like before the close of business, what they're planning on. For the Nets that means Deron Williams will opt out of his last year ($17.8 million) and Jordan Farmar ($4.25 million) must decide whether to stay through 2012-13 or become an unrestricted free agent. Farmar has said he remains undecided meaning there is a chance he could opt out and save the Nets $4.25 million. The biggest decision however may be what the Nets will offer Brook Lopez in terms of a qualifying offer.
June 30 - Gerald Green, Kris Humphries, Shelden Williams, Damion James, Sundiata Gaines, DeShawn Stevenson and Armon Johnson become unrestricted free agents.
July 1 - Teams can contact free agents and this is often the first day news breaks about free agents' intentions. The Nets would like to hear as soon as possible from Deron Williams, Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez, one minute after midnight as Avery Johnson has said. Will D-Will visit Dallas? Teams interested in 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 score board about to be hoisted into place and seating filling in. This is also the reported deadline for Andrei Kirilenko to let CSKA Moscow know whether he is staying in Europe another year.
July 2 - July 10 - Expect word to leak on free agents' intentions. Second tier free agents like Brandon Bass and Ersan Ilyasova are likely to give the current teams one last shot to make them stay, then move on. Also expect teams to make offers to restricted free agents like Michael Beasley and Ryan Anderson, among others.
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, as has D-League Rookie of the Year Edwin Ubiles. 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. Expect LOTS of talk about Dwight Howard as Nets brass watch the D-Leaguers.
July 11 - Teams can actually 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.