Does Cory Jefferson have a chance in Brooklyn? In a word, Yes

Cory Jefferson is now playing the waiting game, just as he did on Draft Night, when the Jefferson family celebrations had to wait until the Nets bought the Spurs pick and took him at No. 60, making him "Mr. Irrelevant," the last pick.

Now, the 6'9" power forward from Baylor needs to wait and see if the Nets will give him a guaranteed deal.  With the anticipated signing of Bojan Bogdanovic and fellow second round pick Markel Brown, the Nets will have 14 players under contract, all but one, Jorge Gutierrez, fully guaranteed. There's no doubt he's a possibility, but so is a veteran player.

He;s cool with whatever role he can play with the Nets.

"Sitting on the bench is not really too hard for me," Jefferson the Waco Tribune, his hometown paper, on his return from Orlando. "I’ve always been the kind of person who cheers on his teammates, who lets everyone know they’ve got my support. When the coach calls my name, I’ve just got to be ready to bring the energy."

He will need strength, he admits and there are things beyond his control, like whether the Nets need a young PF more than a veteran PG.  Still, after shooting 70 percent in Orlando and averaging 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds, he feel he has proven himself and the Nets did like what they saw from.

He also told the Tribune's Brice Cherry that he could have been taken earlier but a number of unnamed teams wanted him to go to Europe first.  He didn't like that idea and his agent passed it on.  However, he doesn't make the Nets, that remains an option. Brooklyn would retain his rights and he would get paid.

• Former Bear Jefferson starting NBA climb with Nets - Brice Cherry - Waco Tribune