It's nothing set in stone, but the Tuesday after Labor Day is when most players head to team training facilities for informal workouts, scrimmages ... but not organized practices under a coach's tutelage. We're still a month away from that.
With word that Jeremy Lin is in New York, it would appear that at least 13 players with guaranteed deals -- and the three with partials -- will be in Brooklyn soon or are already there. Of course, players like Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris McCullough and Sean Kilpatrick have been at HSS since May.
The only two we don't think are on hand, based on social media, are Olympians Bojan Bogdanovic and Luis Scola. Bogdanovic played 16 games this summer -- six "friendlies," four in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and six in the Olympics themselves. And don't forget, he had to escape the Turkish coup under cover of darkness! Scola played 12 games.
Here's what to look forward to...
September 7 -- Traditional start of informal workouts. With 10 new players on the roster and three other players trying to make the team, the Nets can use whatever time they get together.
September 10 -- The Nets must extend a non-guaranteed offer to Juan Pablo Vaulet by this date or lose his rights and make him an unrestricted free agent. It's highly likely they will retain his rights. It's an annual thing.
September 24 - Long Island Nets hold local tryouts at the Pratt Recreation Center on LIU Post’s campus, 720 Northern Blvd. in Brookville, N.Y. Player check-in for the tryout will begin at 9 a.m. Tryouts are open to public.
September 26 -- Media Day.
September 27 -- First day of actual practice around the league.
October 1 -- Open Practice, Steinberg Wellness Center, LIU, 11 a.m.
October 6 -- Nets vs. Pistons in preseason game at Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.
October 8 -- Nets at Knicks in preseason game at Madison Square Garden, 7:30 p.m.
October 11 -- Nets at Heat in preseason game at American Airlines Arena, 7:30 p.m.
October 13 -- Nets vs. Celtics in preseason game at Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.
October 17 -- Nets at Celtics in preseason game at TD Garden, 7:30 p.m.
October 20 -- Nets vs. Knicks in preseason game at Barclays Center, 7:30 p.m.
October 25 -- Rosters set for NBA Opening Day, also known as "cutdown day."
October 26 -- Nets open 2016-17 season in Boston vs. Celtics. 7:30 p.m.
October 28 - Nets home opener at Barclays Center vs. the Pacers. 7:30 p.m.
October 31 -- Deadline for Nets to extend Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Chris McCullough for 2017-18. A no-brainer. Both are expected to be extended.
Early November - D-League draft. This is a conference call affair, nothing like the big league's extravaganza. The L.I. Nets will have picks.
November 11 - Long Island Nets open their inaugural season vs. Windy City Bulls in Hoffman Estates, IL. 8:00 p.m. ET. All D-League games are covered live on the league's YouTube Channel.
November 23 - Long Island Nets home opener at Barclays Center vs. Canton Charge, 1:30 p.m. ET
December 15 - NBA and players union have until today to decide whether to opt out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement one year early, meaning negotiations for a new CBA would start now and current CBA would expire on July 1.
January 5 -- 10-day contracts may now be signed
January 10 -- All contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season