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MarShon Brooks thought he should’ve been drafted much earlier than 25th overall.

He was right.

Brooks, who was acquired by the Nets in a draft night deal with the Celtics, was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team on Tuesday.

The Providence product ranked third among first-year pros in scoring, averaging 12.6 points per game.

Brooks, a native of Long Branch, N.J., is the 13th player in Nets franchise history to be named to the All-Rookie Team (sixth Second Team selection).

The 23-year-old guard played in just 56 games due to injury.

Houston’s Chandler Parsons, Sacramento’s Isaiah Thomas, Minnesota’s Derrick Williams and Cleveland’s Tristan Thompson round out the All-Rookie Second Team.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On Saturday during the third-annual Nets draft combine, which features potential second-round picks, center Brook Lopez popped out from behind closed doors at the PNY Center to take in some of the action.

Lopez, who missed all but five games this past season with right foot and ankle injuries, was in his adidas sneakers -- not in a walking boot, which he had been wearing for the past month. Then, when the first day of the combine concluded (the second day is Sunday), he worked on his outside shot and some court exercises.

Addressing reporters, GM Billy King confirmed that Lopez got a check-up on May 16 and said he's "making good progress" in his recovery. He still expects the team's starting center to be 100 percent healthy come training camp.

"[The doctors] said everything's progressing nicely," King said. "He's on track. He's doing everything -- just no running and jumping at this point. It's good to see Brook shooting."

Lopez hasn't been the only Net at the team's training facility of late. Deron Williams was there on Friday, and he also dropped in on Saturday morning at around 8 a.m. (He didn't speak to the media.) In fact, about half the team has already been stopping by -- and it's only been three weeks since the season ended.

King said the impact of the shortened season's jam-packed schedule hasn't seemed to be an issue, in terms of guys needing more rest. But the appearances may have had a little something to do with extra motivation from the GM himself.

"Also, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Williams and MarShon Brooks [have been here]," King said. "So a lot of our guys have been back in the gym. As I told them, I said, 'You can take time off, but if you start working out, you get ahead of the game.' Really what they're doing is spring training."

Here are some other noteworthy nuggets from King:

1. On his trip to Turkey: "Turkey was good. I was able to watch the [Euroleague] Final Four, see some good games. I obviously saw Deron there, I saw Mikhail [Prokhorov] there. It was a good trip." (King didn't discuss details of his time spent with either of them.)

2. On meeting with Bojan Bogdanovic -- the Nets own his draft rights (from 2011), but he has one season remaining on his contract with Fenerbahce in the Turkish League: "We had a good meeting. He's anxious to come over and play. In due time, we'll talk about his contract so we can get him out. He had the NBA League Pass and watched all our games, so he's as anxious as the day we drafted him."

3. On Gerald Wallace, who has a player option, but has publicly said he wants to return to the Nets next season: "We've had conversations with his representatives because actually we can talk about the potential of [an] extension if he opts in. We'll leave that there." (The Nets likely won't make a move with their free agents until they know Williams' definite plans.)

4. On the Nets' potential draft pick(s): "I always look at the draft as if we like a player, then we go find a pick, whether we end up with one, two or three or 57. We'll be aggressive. The good thing about having all these GMs and personnel here is getting a chance to talk and try to make deals." (The Nets will only have a lottery pick if they land a top-three selection. If they end up between six and nine, the pick will go to the Portland Trail Blazers, based on the Wallace trade. No matter what, though, they'll have the 57th pick.)

5. On his philosophy when analyzing prospects: "The one thing I learned from Donnie Walsh when I was an assistant coach in Indiana, he said, 'If this is where you're making your evaluation, you're too far behind.' We've seen these guys play 5-on-5 in college, so this is just another part of the process. What we base our decision on is really what they've done with their college program. This is more just to get their real measurements, see if they pick up the NBA pick-and-roll and the coaching."

6. On what he's looking for from the players during the combine: "We try to see how the guys pick up stuff from the coaches, see how they play 5-on-5, how they share the basketball, who's in shape. We had some casualties of guys not in shape, and that's what it really comes down to. ... If you can find a guy with an NBA skill, that's what you're looking for. If a guy can do everything, then they're Dwyane Wade, LeBron James -- they're the All-Stars. But if a guy can do one or two things great, an NBA skill, that's what you look for."

You can follow Jared Zwerling on Twitter.

Will he stay?

... Or will he go to Dallas?

That’s what ESPN Dallas.com’s Jeff Caplan and Tim MacMahon argue in their latest Hot Button.

MacMahon argues Deron Williams should sign with his hometown Mavericks because 1. New York taxes are absurd (8.97 percent!) and Texas has no income tax, so $28 million (five years, $109 million for re-signing in Brooklyn compared to four years, $81 million with everyone else based on the CBA) isn’t really $28 million; 2. The Cuban/Nelson management tandem is better than the Prokhorov/King tandem; and 3. The Mavs have Dirk and the Nets don’t.

Caplan counters with the money difference and also the fact that D-Will has the opportunity to be a part of something special in Brooklyn. The Nets potentially could have a pretty talented roster -- assuming everyone signs back, they add a couple pieces and get healthy -- and the Mavs will have to maneuver a lot to add complimentary pieces around Dirk and Deron.

My take: It really could go either way. Both arguments are compelling. Williams never wanted to be traded to the Nets. He didn’t have a say. Now, he’s exercising his right to opt out, become a free agent and test the market.

Williams has said he likes the idea of starting something in Brooklyn: playing in the No. 1 media market in the world and all the endorsement opportunities he’s gotten as a result of being there is certainly appealing.

The Nets very well could’ve been -- and probably would’ve been -- a playoff team if they hadn’t been decimated. But their roster is still in flux. After all, 11 of their 15 players have the potential to be FAs. Still, the Mavs aren’t really in that much better shape.

Nevertheless, if he were to go home, how could you blame him?

The Nets are pretty much in a D-Will or bust scenario. The All-Star point guard has an important decision to make.

And it appears he can’t go wrong either way.

From a team press release:

The Brooklyn Nets brand identity launch this past Monday morning has sparked widespread success in team merchandise sales, ticket sales, and Brooklynnets.com traffic.

Since garnering extraordinary fan response to the Brooklyn Nets logos and black-and-white color scheme created by JAY Z, Brooklyn Nets merchandise has been the top-seller of all NBA teams at NBAStore.com and at the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue.

Merchandise sales through Brooklynnets.com were more than double the team’s total sales for the 2010-11 season. Additionally, Modell's, the Nets' official sporting goods retailer, sold more Nets merchandise during the first day of the launch than all of last season.

JAY Z’s design for the team’s brand identity incorporates a timeless black and white color palette of the old New York subway signage system, including its clean ‘RollSign’ typeface. The treatment celebrates the history and heritage of Brooklyn by drawing upon the familiar classic signage from when the borough last had its own major professional team in 1957.

The day of the launch, April 30, was the second largest web traffic day at NBAStore.com since the start of the season (December 25), with Brooklyn Nets merchandise representing 27% of total sales for the day on NBAStore.com and the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue combined.

Catapulted by the team’ brand launch, Brooklyn Nets ticket sales have now sold out of three price points, and traffic has increased on the team’s site by 1,700% since Monday.

“The interest in our brand identity launch has dramatically exceeded our expectations,” said Brooklyn Nets CEO Brett Yormark. “JAY Z’s logos and color scheme combined with our Brooklyn identity are proving to be a powerful draw for fans. It’s been 55 years since Brooklyn has had major professional sports and it’s clear the borough is excited for its new home team. As our merchandise and ticket sales are flourishing, we have also seen a huge spike in our digital fan engagement, with Brooklyn Nets trending nationally on Twitter on Monday. We are proud to say, ‘Hello Brooklyn’.”

• According to the team, the Nets lost 249 man-games to injury/illness/personal reasons last season.

From a team press release:

Brooklyn Nets general season tickets for the team’s inaugural 2012-13 NBA season at Barclays Center will go on sale Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Tickets are available by calling 800-77-BKTIX or at www.Brooklynnets.com.

Brooklyn Nets season tickets have been priced to provide great access for fans at affordable prices. For each game, 50 percent of all season tickets are $55 or less, 38 percent of season tickets are $35 or less, and lower level season tickets start at $65.

While general season tickets are on sale tomorrow, a limited supply of All Access season tickets are also available. The All Access offering provides fans several distinctive elements, including the opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public to non-Brooklyn Nets events that will be staged at Barclays Center. All Access tickets can also be used for unlimited food at all fixed concession stands during Brooklyn Nets games -- a first-time offering for a major New York metropolitan area sports team.

Do you like it? Answer yes or no in the comments section. If no, give a reason why.

Also, it is interesting to take a look back at some of the Nets logos over the years. (Google, Nets logos and check it out).

In the meantime, check out Men's Health's profile of Kris Humphries.

An observation made by this reporter the morning after while at Devils morning skate before Game 6. There are Devils banners, Seton Hall banners and Liberty banners, but no Nets banners.

#HELLOBROOKLYN

Even though they’re moving from New Jersey to Brooklyn next season, Kris Humphries wants to stay with the Nets.

“Of course,” Humphries replied when asked if he wants to re-sign with the Nets. “I think everyone wants to come back and be a part of Brooklyn. But we understand that we probably won’t have the same exact team as this year, so hopefully, as many guys as possible can be a part of it.”

The Nets, though, could be headed in another direction. Sources have told ESPN NewYork.com that the team will pursue free agents Kevin Garnett, Ryan Anderson and Ersan Ilyasova in the offseason.

Then again, they were trying to upgrade the power forward position in 2011-12, but ended up bringing Humphries back in as a fallback. Playing on a one-year, $8 million contract, the 27-year-old has averaged career-highs of 13.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game.

The Nets expect to have around $8 million in cap space if Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace come back.

That was the hashtag found on the Nets’ official website’s splash page shortly following the team’s final game after 35 years in New Jersey.

The page also featured an outline of what will be the team’s new logo.

The New Jersey Nets play their final game in Toronto on Thursday. They’ll be moving to Brooklyn and the $1 billion Barclays Center next season.

Here’s the Nets thoughts on their last game in New Jersey:

Avery Johnson

“Yeah, I was just talking to P.J. Carlesimo about that going out to begin the second half. It was really just an eerie feeling. You’re right, just some mixed emotions, and I think it finally hit me during the course of the game that this was it, with us playing here in New Jersey. But great fan support [Monday night]. They came out, they cheered us on, and our guys just ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. We made a pretty good run in the third quarter, but it wasn’t because of a lack of fan support, and we really appreciate it.”


Anthony Morrow

“Before the game, when I was working out, seeing all of the fans, it’s kind of an emotional time for all the fans. It’s exciting but at the same time it is bittersweet. I am excited to be part of this, proud to be playing in front of all the Nets fans.”

MarShon Brooks

“Right now, I’m a little sad about leaving Jersey, but I’m Brooklyn ready. I have the whole offseason to think about Brooklyn. Like I said before, I was born in jersey, I have a lot of family helping me get through it. My grandmother, my mother and I just appreciate everything this year in playing in front of wonderful fans. The reality is we head to Brooklyn.”

Eighteen years later, “Whoop-de-damn-do” lives on.

In 1994, Derrick Coleman famously uttered those words when asked about Kenny Anderson missing practice.

“Where were all you guys when Dwayne Schintzius missed practice? Everyone misses practice. Dwayne Schintzius misses practice. Jayson Williams misses practice. I miss practice. Even the coaches miss practice sometimes,” Coleman said.

A reporter mentioned that Anderson was the captain of the team, and should be setting a bad example. The Post reportedly saw Anderson at “Scores,” a strip club in New York City.

“Whoop-de-damn-do," said Coleman “I didn't feel he owed anybody an apology.”

Coleman reflected on the quote on Monday night.

“It’s amazing to me. It really is. But I get laughs about it. I was just talking to Kenny about that earlier. I said, ‘I was sticking up for you.’ So I blame you all the time for that,” Coleman said, laughing.

Coleman is optimistic about the Nets heading to Brooklyn.

“I’m always hopeful. You have to have talent, that’s the bottom line. If you can get Deron Williams to stay and get a big like Dwight Howard, that’s great, but you have to have talent for people to come and support the team.”

New Jersey governor Chris Christie made headlines when he said “good riddance” to the Nets.

“He said good riddance to the Nets? He must not like basketball. My time here was great for me,” Coleman said.

Anderson called the upcoming move “bittersweet.”

“Now you’re gonna have two teams in New York. We’ll see what happens,” he said.

Anderson joked around that the Nets’ franchise -- unlike the Knicks’ -- was always unstable. They used to practice at a APA trucking in North Bergen, after all.

“They were always ready to win. It seemed like we were build into mediocrity,” Anderson said. “But we won. We had talent.”

Anderson said the move should be good for the Nets.

“New Jersey is a basketball state somewhat, but New York is basketball.”

While the Knicks had a winning tradition and were in a huge market, the Nets, Anderson said, always had a “revolving door,” with players and coaches changing frequently.

For 86 years, the Red Sox had “The Curse of the Bambino.”

Since 1945, the Cubs have been -- as the legend goes -- cursed by a Billy Goat.

On July 1, 2010, the Nets put up a billboard that said “The Blueprint for Greatness,” featuring owners Mikhail Prokhorov and Jay-Z.

It’s only been two years -- so it’s far from curse-worthy -- but nothing has gone their way ever since.

In the summer of 2010, the Nets were favored to win the lottery and get the No. 1 pick. They lost and got the No. 3 pick.

That same summer, the Nets tried to sign coveted free-agents LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer. They ended up with Travis Outlaw, Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro.

During the season, the Nets tried and tried again to execute a blockbuster trade for Carmelo Anthony. But Melo wanted no part of New Jersey. So he was dealt to the Knicks, and GM Billy King countered by landing Deron Williams out of nowhere.

The Nets finally had their superstar -- with one huge caveat. Williams could opt out of his contract after the 2011-12 season and become a free agent. King knew this, so, following a 24-58 finish to the 2010-11 campaign, he decided to try and reel in a big man to pair with D-Will.

It didn’t work out. Top target Tyson Chandler went to the Knicks, and Nene elected to re-sign with the Nuggets, leaving New Jersey with a team short on talent once again.

Williams announced his intentions to opt out before the 2011-12 season started, and it only got worse from there.

The Nets failed to jell in training camp. And since then, they’ve been decimated by injuries. Brook Lopez, Damion James, Keith Bogans (waived), Jordan Farmar, Mehmet Okur (since traded) and Shawne Williams (since traded) were all lost to season-ending injuries, leaving D-Will without much help.

Coming into Monday night’s home-finale, the Nets had lost 238 manpower games due to injury, illness or personal reasons, an average of 3.7 players per game, and started 24 different lineups. They went just 9-24 at home this season, and struggled on defense and in first quarters. Several D-Leaguers have been called up. Only Gerald Green has been a pleasant surprise.

They thought they were going to land Dwight Howard, but it became one big “Dwightmare,” and D-12 opted to stay in Orlando because of “loyalty.”

King got Gerald Wallace from Portland -- a great all-around hustle player -- but had to sacrifice the team’s top-3 protected 2012 first-round draft pick to do so. The move was highly criticized, viewed as a risk for a franchise that has taken many and gotten burned just as many times. Now, the Nets (22-43) are tied for the sixth-worst record, meaning they only have a 6.3 percent chance of winning the lottery and getting the No. 1 overall pick.

After 35 years in New Jersey, the Nets are moving to Brooklyn and the $1 billion Barclays Center in 2012-13. Their slogan has been “Jersey Strong. Brooklyn Ready.”

Right now, the only guarantees for the franchise are a new building and that MarShon Brooks, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro and Jordan Williams are under contract.

Otherwise, the only certainty is a lot of uncertainty. Eleven of the 15 players on the Nets’ roster are eligible to be free agents in some capacity. Coach Avery Johnson mentioned several -- D-Will, Wallace, Kris Humphries, Lopez and Green -- by name when asked why New Jersey fans should follow the team to Brooklyn, but who knows if they will.

“After the season, guys are going to sit down with their families and decide what’s best for them realistically,” Brooks said after the Nets wrapped up their 35-year tenure in the Garden State with a 105-87 loss to the Sixers. “It’s a business. Whatever team we go to Brooklyn with, we’re going to have to be ready to play.”

The borough of Brooklyn hasn’t had a professional sports franchise since 1957, so there’s going to be a buzz around the Nets. But for how long?

A new building and new uniforms are all well and good, but the Nets must be competitive. And to be competitive, they have to re-sign Williams. He has said he intends to stay -- assuming the Nets put the right pieces around him. They haven’t yet. And even if they do, everything else has to fall into place.

If recent history is any indication, it won’t happen. In 3 1/2 decades, the New Jersey Nets went 1,186-1,635 (.420). And aside from the Jason Kidd era, they didn’t win anything.

Now, they’ll turn the page. Maybe, to avoid a future curse, they should’ve changed their name, too.

Recap | Box score | Photos

WHAT IT MEANS: After 35 years, the Nets’ time in New Jersey has come to an end. In their final home game in the Garden State, the Nets lost to the Sixers 105-87 in front of a sellout crowd at Prudential Center. The Nets (22-43) trailed by as many as 15 before cutting the deficit to one late in the third quarter. But they couldn’t get over the hump.

As the final seconds elapsed, the Nets were given a standing ovation from the crowd. Armon Johnson scored the Nets' final basket in New Jersey.

PAYING TRIBUTE: The Nets honored several former players and executives at halftime, including Derrick Coleman, Kerry Kittles and ex-GM Rod Thorn. A recorded video tribute by Jason Kidd was played on the JumboTron.

FINAL ACT: Kris Humphries led the Nets with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while MarShon Brooks poured in 18 points. Gerald Wallace had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Johan Petro -- yes, Johan Petro! -- had 10 points off the bench on 5-for-6 shooting.

SITTING OUT: Deron Williams missed his fourth straight game with a sore right calf.

BOLD PLAY OF THE GAME: Wallace’s turnaround jumper brought the Nets within 63-62 with 3:44 left in the third.

UP NEXT: The final game in New Jersey Nets history, at Toronto, Thursday night.

NEWARK, N.J. -- The New Jersey Nets honored several former players and executives at halftime of their final game after 35 years in the Garden State on Monday night.

Jason Kidd, widely considered the greatest player in the franchise’s New Jersey history, gave a recorded video message to the sellout crowd in attendance at Prudential Center.

“Congratulations on the celebration of 35 years. That’s a long time,” Kidd said. “Being a Net was a great time of my career and a great honor. So I hope you guys enjoy tonight and hopefully I’ll see you guys soon. Take care.”

The Nets introduced Tim Bassett, Mike O’Koren, Darwin Cook, Albert King, Otis Birdsong, Micheal Ray Richardson, Darryl Dawkins, Chris Morris, Derrick Coleman, Chris Morris, Derrick Coleman, Kenny Anderson, Kendall Gill, Maurice Williamson, son of the late John Williamson and Biserka Petrovic, mother of the late Drazen Petrovic.

The Nets also honored several members on the 2001-02 team that reached the NBA Finals: trainer Tim Walsh, assistant coach Tom Barrise, executive Bobby Marks and GM Rod Thorn, who orchestrated the trade that brought Kidd to New Jersey, Todd MacCullough and Kerry Kittles.

“It was nice. It was well-done,” Kittles said, “recognizing all the good teams and players that have played here.”

The Nets are moving to Brooklyn and the $1 billion Barclays Center next season.

Gary Sussman jumped back in and served as the PA announcer. Co-owner Jay-Z was in attendance, though he was sporting an “N.Y.” hat.

Brook Lopez addressed fans before the game.

I’d just like to thank you this season for all your support on behalf of myself and the entire organization. ... Thanks for your support and we can’t wait to see you next season,” Lopez said.

With about 7 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter, a loud “Let’s Go Nets!” chant started.

The Nets showed two other tribute videos: one featured Vince Carter, Kenyon Martin and Buck Williams; the other featured Byron Scott, Brian Scalabrine and Coleman.

Check out our gallery of the Top 10 New Jersey Nets of all time!

This is it. The time has come.

On Monday night, the Nets will play their final game in New Jersey, ending a 35-year (or rather, 36-year) run in the Garden State.

Next season, the franchise will move to Brooklyn and the $1 billion Barclays Center, something it’s been trying to do since 2004.

Ever since, things haven’t been the same. And recently, Prudential Center has been raided by Knicks and Celtics fans.

No wonder many aren’t feeling too nostalgic over the team leaving.

Still, the Nets had several indelible moments in New Jersey that can’t be overlooked.

Most of them involve Jason Kidd, who will go down as the greatest Net of All-Time.

Before Kidd arrived in 2001, the Nets hadn’t won a playoff game in seven years.

But the superstar point guard guided New Jersey to consecutive NBA Finals appearances -- the first two times the Nets had ever reached the Finals in franchise history.

The Nets still haven’t won an NBA championship. That’s been as close as they’ve come.

On Monday night, in front of a sellout crowd, the Nets will honor players and coaches, past and present.

Then they’ll turn the page and move forward. As their slogan says, “Jersey Strong. Brooklyn Ready.”