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Rookie Mikel Brown Jr.’s preseason debut left the Nets impressed.
But his minutes restriction is likely to leave him coming off the bench. For now.
Brown had 15 points, three assists and two steals in Miami, with Michael Porter Jr. dubbing him a “stud.” But the lottery pick was limited to 18 minutes after missing the first three preseason games with a rolled left ankle. Brown will still be on a minutes restriction for Wednesday’s season opener against visiting Charlotte.
“Our No. 1 priority is his health and build him the right way,” said coach Jordi Fernández. “So obviously I lean on medical and performance to guide us on how to do it. And then all the combinations and so forth obviously is up to me.”
And as such, Fernández said he’d need that minutes restriction loosened to at least 24 minutes before he’d consider starting Brown, or any player. That means the No. 6 overall pick is likely to come off the bench against Charlotte.
“Usually, if you play less than 24 minutes, it’s hard to start because otherwise it’s hard to finish minutes with that player,” Fernández said. “You can do it in many different ways, but we’re not there yet for that reason. I need him to build the right way and impact the game. And as you’re building, coming off the bench, I still have the luxury to finish games with him if I need to.”
For his part, Brown insists being in the lineup isn’t a big deal to him, that he’s comfortable starting or finishing.
“I mean, at the end of the day, if I come off the bench, if I start, I mean, still would be me regardless when it comes to that stuff. I don’t look at that stuff. If I start, I start. If I come off the bench, I come off the bench, just continue to do what I do,” said Brown, who was wearing an ankle brace at practice.
Brown said he would have to talk to the performance staff about whether he’d keep wearing it into the season. But he said he came through the preseason debut intact physically.
“I felt great,” Brown said. “Just maintaining my routine and just staying consistent with it. I don’t want to go away from it and then something happens again. I want to be on the court all 82 after that as well. That’s the goal.”
Joshua Jefferson is still out with back stiffness.
“He’s not joined the group fully yet. He’s been part of the group, but he’s not ready to come back yet,” said Fernández, who was unsure if the first-round pick had undergone imaging.
Josh Minott saw fairly limited time in the preseason, considering the Nets’ defensive woes. Asked what he wants to see from the disruptive wing, Fernández said, “The same thing that he’s done so far. Play with an edge, but at the same time being disciplined with a lot of the things that he’s required to do.”