EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- As everyone in the NBA waits on Carmelo Anthony and the Nets, Nuggets, Bobcats and Jazz to decide whether this blockbuster will become a reality, training camp opened for New Jersey today.

Yes, Devin Harris was running the point and yes Derrick Favors was running the floor.

Will they still be around for the afternoon practice or both sessions remains to be seen, but they are the two main players the Nets are expected to move to get the high-scoring Anthony.

The deal could still break down because of all the teams, players, owners and egos involved. But if it does go through, there has been plenty of talk about whether the Nets would be giving up too much, but you have to give up something to get a top-tier player that immediately becomes the face of your franchise.

Pros
1. You get Carmelo Anthony, arguably the second-best small forward in the league and perhaps the second-best player in the Nets' NBA history.

2. You get a legitimate go-to guy, someone who can carry the Nets in the fourth quarter.

3. You get a superstar, someone who will usher in the new era in Nets basketball and be the marquee player to open the Barclays Center in two years

4. To become a championship team within five years as Mikhail Prokhorov promised you need a superstar.

5. You have someone who can help attract other free agents, most notably Chris Paul, who can be a free agent in 2012 or can try and force his way out of New Orleans before then. Keep in mind, Anthony and Paul -- like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh -- are represented by the same agency, CAA.

6. The potential of opening the Barclays Center, or playing next season in Newark, with Anthony, Paul and Brook Lopez in the same lineup.

7. Anthony’s arrival will take pressure and defensive attention off of Lopez.

8. Nets potential frontline this season: Anthony, Troy Murphy and Lopez is a major upgrade from last year’s CDR, Yi Jianlian and Lopez and the year before of Bobby Simmons, Yi and Lopez. Sprinkle in a little Trenton Hassell both years.

9. Nets become a playoff contender immediately after winning just 12 games a season ago.

10. Derrick Favors is unproven and may not become the player the Nets are touting him to be.

11. The Nets still have several expiring contracts.

Cons

1. Carmelo Anthony is a megastar, but not LeBron James or Dwyane Wade

2. Derrick Favors is unproven, but what if the athletic 19-year-old power forward becomes the player the Nets are touting him to be? They have talked about similarities to Amar’e Stoudemire, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

3. Nets are giving up an above-average point guard in Harris, who can break defenses down and create shots for himself and others, and not getting a starting-caliber point guard in return.

4. Would have been interesting to see Harris play with Anthony and Lopez.

5. Would have been interesting to see Anthony, Favors and Lopez.

6. They are parting with at least one draft choice -- the 2012 Warriors pick that’s protected one-through-seven.

There may be more cons, but none we can think of at this point. The bottom line is it would be a home run for the Nets if they were able to get Carmelo Anthony, get his name on a contract extension and they have to do what it takes to get it done.

Now all they need is Anthony to officially agree and Denver to pull the trigger.

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Coaches Corner
“We’ve got to move full speed ahead. This is our team. Unless I get a call from Billy and something’s changed, these are the guys we’re getting ready for our September 30 Open House for our fans and then our October 3 preseason game and then the China trip and then the last two preseason games back-to-back before we open up. So this is the team we’re trying to get ready to play. And until something changes, we’re single-minded with that.”

– Avery Johnson after his practice as Nets coach.

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Al Iannazzone covers the Nets for The Record (Bergen County, N.J.)