Not much except that, with the per diem paid over the table in NBA instead of under it in college, they need to get the donuts before practice, carry their teammates' bags and stay out of the way of the veterans.
Oh, about that last part? The Nets' Terrence Williams, rookie out of Louisville, may need to work on it a bit.
The Nets finished last season with a 34-48 record, and then went ahead and traded their second-leading scorer, Vince Carter, to Orlando. Yet they head into the 2009-10 season with more optimism than a team in their position should rightfully have.
Hey, that's the wonder of cap space. Virtually all of what New Jersey had done over the past two or three seasons has been leading to the summer of free agency in 2010.
In the weakest NBA draft in years, sitting out might have been the best thing to do. All the fireworks were done before it even began. The Cavs traded for Shaq. The Magic added Vince Carter. The Wizards snagged Mike Miller instead of the No. 5 pick. Several teams showed little interest in getting involved.
Keep reading after the jump for the Eastern Conference rundown.
The day of reckoning has arrived for some 90 or so prospects hoping to be an NBA Draft pick. The day of reckoning has also arrived for some 9,000 mock drafters, who desperately try to get it right even though no one ever could on a consistent basis.
And, if I may, a word about the recent backlash against mock drafts from the key mock draft writers. The major draft experts from ESPN and DraftExpress told the New York Times last week that they hate mock drafts. But the mock draft is like their version of a test. It's too arbitrary, too black and white. It creates an impossible task. But thems the breaks when you're in a field in which performance matters. If Chad Ford didn't have to put out a mock, he could forever avoid criticism, basically. It's his job to analyze and predict the draft. How could we judge his efficacy without looking at his mock the morning after? It's like Amar'e Stoudemire telling everyone he hates to rebound. (Oh wait ...)
I love mock drafts! You'll find my final version after the jump.
As we roll on toward the 2009 NBA Draft, FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller turn their attention toward the players who deserve the hype. Previous draft debates focused on Ricky Rubio and Hasheem Thabeet.
Ziller: At the end of our last debate, you asked who I thought deserved more hype. That is, of course, a tricky question, considering the entire draft is built on hype. In fact, the role of the media (professional, semi-pro and amateur) is often to debunk hype. As many have ruminated, it's highly unlikely the next Amar'e, Maravich, Wade and Dikembe are really in this draft.
Mock drafts are fun, but if you want the real inside scoop on who's expected to be a high draft pick, you need to see the list of the players the NBA has invited to the draft. Generally speaking, it's limited to players the league has been assured will go in the top half of the first round.
There are always exceptions, but ever since Rashard Lewis awkwardly hung around until the second round, the league has done a respectable job making sure no one gets too embarrassed. The league hasn't yet released an official list, but thanks to some sleuthing by DraftExpress, we know at least 16 players have been extended invitations, although only 13 have confirmed their attendance. Keep reading for the full list:
The Minnesota Timberwolves might not have had the best regular season in 2008-09, but they're sure going to be a factor come the NBA Draft on Thursday.
New president of basketball operations David Kahn has five picks to use, including three in the first round. Minnesota has the Nos. 6, 18, and 28 picks in Round 1, and two more in the second round.
Will Kahn use all of those picks to drastically remake the T-Wolves' roster, or might he package a couple of picks or three in order to land a veteran difference-maker? More on the Northwest Division after the jump.
Some things figure. The Southwest Division is considered the NBA's toughest – or at least it is by some – so it's no wonder most of the teams in it aren't involved at the top of the draft.
One team isn't involved at all. But the Memphis Grizzlies – selecting at No. 2 – in some ways will dictate the direction of the thing. Will the Grizz take Ricky Rubio or not? That's the big question.
Over the next six days, we'll take a look at each team's needs heading into the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 25.
First up, the NBA's Pacific Division:
Golden State Warriors
Picks: No. 7 (first round); none in second round. Needs: A true point guard; a decision-maker/passer/high basketball IQ type, and it wouldn't hurt to have another big body up front. Possibilities: Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings, Jonny Flynn, Tyreke Evans (pictured), Jordan Hill. Put it into the equation: For more than a year now, the Warriors have been wrestling with the issue of whether or not Monta Ellis can play point guard. If they end up drafting one, that will tell exactly what the Warriors think.
We have less than 10 days to go before the 2009 NBA Draft. That means now is the time for all teams and agents to blow as much smoke as possible. Got an iffy first-round prospect on your client list? Pull out of a workout, starting rumors of a promise! Worried about falling to a team with a bad situation? Ankle tweak! Concerned one of the worst general managers of our time is attempting to fleece you? "My, that Swedish power forward is looking pretty good ... maybe we'll just take him."
Of course, the greatest thing about the NBA draft is that there actually is a Swedish power forward this year, lost JoBro Jonas Jerebko. Searching for YouTube videos and scouting reports on improbably bred players you have never heard of is a time-honored tradition. (Miss you, Petteri Koponen!) We know the names who will fill the top end, but do we know where they'll end up? YOU BE THE JUDGE.
Rookies. What do they know?
FanHouse previews all 30 NBA teams in advance of the 2009-10 season.
In the weakest NBA draft in years, sitting out might have been the best thing to do. All the fireworks were done before it even began. The Cavs traded for Shaq. The Magic added Vince Carter. The Wizards snagged Mike Miller instead of the No. 5 pick. Several teams showed little interest in getting involved. 
The day of reckoning has arrived for some 90 or so prospects hoping to be an NBA Draft pick. The day of reckoning has also arrived for some 9,000 mock drafters, who desperately try to get it right even though no one ever could on a consistent basis.
As we roll on toward the 2009 NBA Draft, FanHouse's Matt Moore and Tom Ziller turn their attention toward the players who deserve the hype. Previous draft debates focused on Ricky Rubio and Hasheem Thabeet.
Mock drafts are fun, but if you want the real inside scoop on who's expected to be a high draft pick, you need to see the list of the players the NBA has invited to the draft. Generally speaking, it's limited to players the league has been assured will go in the top half of the first round. 
The Minnesota Timberwolves might not have had the best regular season in 2008-09, but they're sure going to be a factor come the NBA Draft on Thursday.
Some things figure. The Southwest Division is considered the NBA's toughest – or at least it is by some – so it's no wonder most of the teams in it aren't involved at the top of the draft.
Over the next six days, we'll take a look at each team's needs heading into the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 25. 
We have less than 10 days to go before the 2009 NBA Draft. That means now is the time for all teams and agents to blow as much smoke as possible. Got an iffy first-round prospect on your client list? Pull out of a workout, starting rumors of a promise! Worried about falling to a team with a bad situation? Ankle tweak! Concerned one of the worst general managers of our time is attempting to fleece you? "My, that Swedish power forward is looking pretty good ... maybe we'll just take him."
