--While opponents plan additional appeals, the Nets won what many consider a major victory recently in their quest to move to Brooklyn. A New York state appellate court upheld a previous rejection on the eminent domain issue and gave the go-ahead to seize private lands on behalf of Nets owner Bruce Ratner, who has the team and a new arena as the lynchpin of an ambitious $4 billion project in Brooklyn. The court found enough "public benefits" in the project to rule favorably for the Nets.
"We're thrilled," Ratner said, stressing his long-held "commitment to bringing the Nets to Brooklyn and building an arena and a residential community" for Brooklyn and the city. Ratner said he hopes to have the Nets playing in Brooklyn by 2011-12.
--The Nets are one of three teams conducting NBA draft "mass workouts" designed to save money and get prospects together. Golden State and Minnesota had plans to play host to such workouts in the first week of June, and the Nets scheduled theirs for June 12-14.
"It's a good idea," said GM Kiki Vandeweghe. "It's cost-effective, plus you get to see some of the best talent competing against one another for several days."
The Nets also planned their other individual workouts for June 10.
--Team president Rod Thorn denied published reports that the team was actively shopping F Yi Jianlian, acquired last June in the trade for F Richard Jefferson.
"To be shopping someone means calling every team, and that just simply is not the case," Thorn said.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm thankful we didn't move down. So at least we stayed where we were." -- Team president Rod Thorn on the draft lottery. The Nets stayed at No. 11, where they was a 90 percent chance they would pick.
