The Nets assigned Ben Saraf, Nolan Traoré and Danny Wolf to their G League affiliate on Lengthy Island on Tuesday, leaving Egor Demin because the lone lively rookie on Brooklyn’s roster heading into Wednesday’s highway matchup in opposition to the Indiana Pacers.
Drake Powell additionally stays out with a proper ankle sprain sustained in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Nevertheless, Michael Porter Jr. is anticipated to return after lacking Monday’s sport for private causes.
After beginning the primary 5 video games of the season at level guard, Saraf was changed by Tyrese Martin on Sunday and didn’t play, then noticed solely garbage-time minutes in Monday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Traoré has performed in solely three of Brooklyn’s first seven video games, totaling 34 minutes, whereas Wolf’s NBA debut was delayed till Monday as he recovered from his personal ankle damage.
Outdoors of Demin, who’s averaged 6.2 factors, 3.0 rebounds and a couple of.7 assists in 19.8 minutes over six video games, Saraf, Traore and Wolf have struggled to search out constant minutes in Jordi Fernández’s rotation. The G League ought to give them the sport reps and growth alternatives they’ve been lacking. It additionally wouldn’t be stunning to see Powell assigned there as soon as he’s wholesome.
Lengthy Island opens its season Friday at Nassau Coliseum.
“It’s huge, because we’re not different teams, we’re the same team, and we’re the same club,” Fernández mentioned. “All the coaches are coaches for the same club. We’ve had great communication; we have a system in place… It’s more important for the players to see what their path is to get better. Obviously, the work that you put in day to day is important, but there’s no more important thing than playing real minutes. And real minutes are in the NBA, real minutes are in Long Island.”
Porter’s return also needs to ease a number of the scoring burden on Thomas, who led Brooklyn with 25 factors on 9-for-20 taking pictures in opposition to Minnesota. Collectively, the duo has posted a 108.5 offensive score and a regarding 123.3 defensive score by way of six video games.
“Obviously losing Mike [Monday] was a big loss, because he’s one of our focal points on offense, our second-leading scorer,” Thomas mentioned. “So, obviously losing him, that means a lot for our team. But at the end of the day, it’s always next-man up, so play your role and do your part.”
