Brooklyn Nets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Booker, Nets, Celtics, Fox, Magic

November 10th, 2023 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker (calf) remains unavailable for Friday’s in-season tournament game vs. the Lakers, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic tweets.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier this week that the Suns are optimistic about getting Booker back at some point during their three-game home stand, which begins tonight. While Charania suggested a Friday return was a possibility, it appears that’s not in the cards — Phoenix’s home stand continues with games on Sunday (vs. Oklahoma City) and Wednesday (vs. Minnesota) before the club heads back out on the road.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Nets wing Cameron Johnson (calf) will be available on Friday in Boston for the first time since opening night, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links). However, Ben Simmons will remain on the shelf for a second consecutive game due to left hip soreness.
Celtics big man Al Horford, who didn’t play both ends of back-to-back sets last season, will be held out of Friday’s game, which is part of the team’s first back-to-back of 2023/24, notes Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, Horford’s frontcourt partner Kristaps Porzingis says he intends to play both Friday and Saturday, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Boston is listing Horford as out due to right knee injury management.
Kings star De’Aaron Fox will be unavailable for Friday’s in-season tournament game vs. Oklahoma City, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee tweets. It’s the fifth straight contest Fox has missed as a result of his sprained right ankle.
While Magic wing Gary Harris missed his third consecutive game due to a right groin strain on Thursday, Markelle Fultz returned from the left knee ailment that cost him three games and reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup (Twitter link). Orlando didn’t appear to have any restrictions on Fultz during the Mexico City showcase — his 29 minutes were right in line with season average.

Johnson Revisits Trade; Is Probable Friday

November 9th, 2023 at 9:16pm CST by Rory Maher

Nets forward Cameron Johnson is on the verge of returning to action after missing the past seven games with a left leg injury. He’s probable for Friday’s matchup in Boston, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Meanwhile, on the Run Your Race podcast with Theo Pinson, Johnson revisited the February trade that sent him from Phoenix to Brooklyn, as Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily relays.

Nets’ Cam Thomas Expected To Miss At Least Two Weeks

November 9th, 2023 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

A left ankle sprain is expected to keep Nets guard Cam Thomas on the shelf for at least two weeks, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Thomas sustained the injury on Wednesday night vs. the Clippers, rolling his ankle after stepping on P.J. Tucker‘s foot (Twitter video link via Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily). Word last night indicated that he would undergo an MRI on Thursday.

The 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Thomas had flashed impressive offensive upside during his first two years in the league, but had yet to play a consistent rotation role. He has received big minutes in the first two weeks of this season, however, and has been Brooklyn’s leading scorer, averaging 26.9 points per game on .479/.321/.851 shooting in eight contests (seven starts; 32.4 MPG).

Thomas had been one of only two Nets starters – along with Mikal Bridges – to average more than 14 points per game in the early going this season, so the team will have to look elsewhere for offense as long as he’s unavailable. The good news for Brooklyn on the injury front is that it sounds like wing Cameron Johnson is nearing a return.

Injury Notes: Davis, Hayes, Jones, Herro, C. Thomas

November 8th, 2023 at 9:21pm CST by Rory Maher

After previously expressing optimism that he wouldn’t miss additional time with the injury, Lakers big man Anthony Davis was ruled out of Wednesday’s game vs. Houston due to left hip spasms, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes.

The Lakers were also without reserve center Jaxson Hayes, who is dealing with a left ankle sprain, McMenamin adds.

Davis initially sustained the injury on Monday against Miami, exiting the game in the third quarter. Sources tell McMenamin the Lakers are hopeful Davis will be back in action for Friday’s matchup in Phoenix.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

The Pelicans were extremely shorthanded on Wednesday, with multiple rotation players sidelined for various reasons. A third starter — wing Herbert Jones — was ruled out ahead of the matchup vs. Minnesota due to a right fibula contusion, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. With so many players injured, all three of the team’s two-way players (Matt Ryan, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Dereon Seabron) received first-quarter minutes, with Robinson-Earl getting a starting nod, Guillory adds (via Twitter). Robinson-Earl just signed his two-way deal with the Pelicans last week.
Heat guard Tyler Herro is off to a strong start in 2023/24, but unfortunately he sustained a right ankle sprain in the first quarter of Wednesday’s game vs. Memphis and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, the team announced (via Twitter). Bally Sports Heat has the video (Twitter link), with Herro landing on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot following a floater in the lane. Herro was unable to put weight on his leg after the injury and hopped to the locker room.
Another player off to a terrific start this season is Nets guard Cam Thomas. Unfortunately, he suffered a left ankle sprain on Wednesday vs. the Clippers and missed the remainder of the game, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter links), who adds that Thomas will undergo an MRI on Thursday. The 2021 first-round pick rolled his ankle after stepping on P.J. Tucker‘s foot (Twitter video link via Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily).

Nets Notes: Johnson, Claxton, Giles, Simmons, Thomas

November 8th, 2023 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets wing Cameron Johnson, who has been sidelined since the team’s regular season opener due to a left leg injury, appears to be nearing a return. As Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post writes, Johnson was listed as doubtful for Wednesday’s game vs. the Clippers, the first time he has been upgraded from “out.”

When word broke on October 30 that Johnson had been diagnosed with a strain in his left leg, the plan was for him to be reevaluated in 10 days. That evaluation is due to happen on Thursday, so Johnson’s return could follow shortly thereafter.

Here’s more on the Nets:

The Nets assigned Johnson, Nic Claxton, and Harry Giles to the G League for Wednesday’s practice with Long Island, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. That bodes well for Johnson and for Claxton, who is also making his way back from an injury sustained on opening night (a left ankle sprain). Head coach Jacque Vaughn referred to the big man earlier this week as “day-to-day,” so it sounds as if he’s getting close to playing.
Following two injury-plagued seasons, Ben Simmons may be held out for one game of the Nets’ back-to-back sets for the foreseeable future, Lewis writes for The New York Post. “I don’t even know. That’s going to be on them,” Simmons said when asked if that’s the plan. “I believe so. Me, I feel good. I feel ready. I think they’re just being smart about it. So yeah.” While Wednesday’s game isn’t part of a back-to-back, Simmons is being listed as questionable due to left hip soreness.
Cam Thomas, Brooklyn’s leading scorer so far this season, spoke to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype about several topics, including his hot start, his efforts to improve as a defender, and how the perception of the Nets has changed since the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. “I’d say with KD and Kyrie, we were more under a microscope, while this team is more under the radar,” Thomas said. “We’re coming up trying to prove people wrong and show that we’re really a good team and we can contend with anybody.”

Claxton Frustrated By High Ankle Sprain

November 5th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets center Nic Claxton suffered a high left ankle sprain in the regular season opener and admits he’s exasperated by the lingering injury, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Claxton has shed a walking boot, but has yet to return to action. “It’s been frustrating, especially getting hurt the first game of the season, and even the way to the way I did it. But it’s coming along. I’m day-to-day now, just trying to keep myself in a good space, keep supporting my teammates,” he said. “After a couple days … I saw it was taking a little bit longer than I expected and everybody expected. Like I said, it’s frustrating but it’s an 82-game season, so what can you do? I’m not going to put myself in harm’s way. I’m just taking it day-by-day.”

Nets Notes: Finney-Smith, Simmons, Whitehead, Dinwiddie, DSJ

November 4th, 2023 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dorian Finney-Smith is helping the undersized Nets survive while starting center Nic Claxton recovers from a sprained ankle, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. At 6’7″ and 220 pounds, Finney-Smith has been fearless while battling larger opponents in the middle.

“He’s just really stepped up to the challenge,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “What I’ve seen from him is his ability to compete. The majority of nights when he’s at the five, the dude that’s standing next to him is going to be taller than him, and a lot of the times bigger and stronger than him. And so his fight has been the first thing that needs to be acknowledged. His rebounding, his ability for us to use him to get a rebound and bust-out dribble … that’s an advantage for us.”

Lewis notes that Vaughn’s other option was to rely on backup center Day’Ron Sharpe, who’s more physically suited for the position. But Sharpe can’t space the floor on offense and he forces the defense to rely on drop coverage, which Vaughn wants to limit. Finney-Smith is a non-traditional answer until Claxton returns, but it’s working so far.

“I challenged our group,” Vaughn said. “I said that Doe is playing out of position, and I challenged them to come back and help this dude. He’s guarding bigger dudes every night. You cannot leave him by himself. So our group took that to heart.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

Ben Simmons has looked more like his old self in the early part of the season, observes Jeff Zilgitt of USA Today. With injury issues reportedly behind him, Simmons has been more mobile and aggressive, and he’s putting up stat lines that are starting to resemble his All-Star past. “The past 24 months, not really having the ability to get on the court, it gave people a reason to pile on, and it gave them ammunition,” said his agent, Bernie Lee. “He wasn’t physically ready to play and was under so much pressure to make an attempt to do it, and buying into a narrative with his competitive nature, he wanted to get back on court and quiet detractors. Having the ability to take a step back and have more time to complete rehab for his back has been cathartic and he has invested in the work. He has taken perspective (of) his own place in life, his career and with this team.”
First-round pick Dariq Whitehead tells Jordan Greene of Nets Daily that he feels 75% to 80% in his recovery from offseason foot surgery. The 19-year-old forward is progressing toward his season debut with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island. “Once I feel like I have complete control on how my legs feel, which should be another two weeks, I’ll be good to go,” Whitehead said.
The shorthanded Nets got some reinforcements on Friday when Spencer Dinwiddie and Dennis Smith Jr. both returned from injuries, Lewis adds in another story for the Post.

Brooks, Watford Lift Nets' Bench

November 3rd, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Speaking of reserves, the Nets got similar performances from their bench in a victory over Miami on Wednesday. That group included Armoni Brooks and Trendon Watford, making their first appearances with the Nets, and rookie second-rounder Jalen Wilson, Dan Martin of the New York Post notes. “This is a night when you see the depth and versatility of our group,’’ coach Jacque Vaughn said. “You also saw the fight and competitiveness of our group. Our pace didn’t change with subbing in guys.”

Atlantic Notes: Walker, Gallinari, Dowtin, Batum

November 2nd, 2023 at 5:14pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After opening the season with a DNP-CD, Nets guard Lonnie Walker is impressing with an increased workload over the past three games as Brooklyn deals with injuries.

With Spencer Dinwiddie going down with an ankle sprain on Monday, Walker stepped in and registered 19 points, following that up with a 17-point performance on Wednesday without Dinwiddie or Dennis Smith Jr. in the lineup. In three games this season, Walker is averaging 16.7 points and shooting a blistering 47.1% from beyond the arc. His performance so far isn’t surprising his teammates, according to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis.

“That’s Lonnie Walker,” teammate Ben Simmons said. “If you watched him last year, you know what he’s capable of. He deserves to play every night. He’s one of the guys we need on this team to have nights like this.”

Walker signed with the Nets on a one-year, minimum-salary contract this summer after averaging 11.7 PPG as a key rotation piece for the Lakers last year.

“This goes a long ways,” head coach Jacque Vaughn said. “I don’t play him the first game. … For him to still have the commitment to the team, to [say,] ‘All right second game, let’s see what coach does.’ Third game, to stay with us. To me that speaks to who he is, how we can build with him. And he’s showing the ability that he can produce.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Playing for Boston would have been a dream come true for Danilo Gallinari, who grew up a fan of the Celtics and Larry Bird, according to The Athletic’s Jay King. That chance was taken from him after Gallinari suffered a torn ACL shortly after signing with Boston last summer, and while he’s trying not to dwell on the past, the forward found it especially tough to not be on the court, King writes. “It was just bad timing,” Gallinari said. “I thought we had the chance to win it. I thought especially during the series with Miami I could have helped a lot. But it’s all in the past.” According to King, Gallinari didn’t expect to be traded this summer. He was sent to Washington in the trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and is averaging 8.0 points in four games with the Wizards.
The Raptors waived Jeff Dowtin at the roster cut-down deadline in October despite an impressive stint in the G League last season. Sportsnet.ca’s Blake Murphy reports (Twitter link) Dowtin is signing a G League contract and will suit up for the Delaware Blue Coats, the affiliate of the Sixers, who acquired his returning player rights in September. Dowtin had a few EuroLeague offers but will try to earn a call-up through the G League, Murphy adds.
New Sixers forward Nicolas Batum is missing Thursday night’s game against the Raptors due to personal reasons, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. Batum averaged 2.7 points across three games with the Clippers this season.

Injury Notes: Zion, Ingram, Kyrie, Kleber, Nets

November 2nd, 2023 at 4:24pm CST by Rory Maher

While he technically isn’t injured, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will miss Thursday’s game against Detroit — which is the second game of a back-to-back — due to rest, per Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com.

Williamson, who missed the entire 2021/22 season with a foot injury and was limited to 29 games last season due to hamstring issues, is averaging 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists through four games (30.8 minutes) for the 3-1 Pelicans.

New Orleans’ other star forward, Brandon Ingram, is also on the injury report, having been listed as questionable with right knee tendinitis. Head coach Willie Green said Ingram underwent an MRI a few days ago, but there was no structural damage in his knee, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The 26-year-old has missed the past two games and is considered day-to-day.

Here are a few more injury notes:

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, who has missed the past two games with a left foot sprain, is questionable for Friday’s matchup against Denver, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. Big man Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) is also questionable. In an interview with Grant Afseth of DallasBasketball.com, Irving recently discussed a number of topics, including his injury, the team’s 4-0 start, and more.
Nets center Nic Claxton has been ruled out of Friday’s matchup with Chicago as he continues to deal with a left ankle sprain, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays (via Twitter). On a more positive note, guards Spencer Dinwiddie (left ankle sprain) and Dennis Smith Jr. (left hip contusion) are listed as questionable — both players were sidelined for Wednesday’s victory in Miami.
Nets first-round pick Dariq Whitehead has progressed to 5-on-5 work with the team’s G League affiliate in Long Island, a person familiar with the matter tells Net Income of NetsDaily. Whitehead is recovering from offseason foot surgery and was playing 2-on-2 with teammates and coaches early last week.