The Nets’ leading rookie, Egor Demin, will miss the remainder of the season because of a left foot injury. According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Demin had hoped to continue playing through the issue, but the discomfort kept worsening over time.
Head coach Jordi Fernández said the young guard consistently showed a strong desire to stay on the court and continue developing through game experience.
“He’s been a kid that wants to play, wants to be out there, wants to develop – and nothing better than playing real games to get better at this level,” Fernández said. “Obviously when you have discomfort and it doesn’t allow you to play at that level, we had to find solutions. We were trying to find the best way. And at the end of the day, the good thing is it’s [a] non-surgical procedure, which is good.”
The decision to shut Demin down now is intended to help him recover fully and avoid the possibility of surgery.
“Obviously the summer and getting him to work and get better throughout the process and having a summer is important,” Fernandez said. “So, the fact he’s not going to be able to play these 20-some games, it’s not the best, because he wants to and we value real reps. But his health is the No. 1 priority. And we’re very, very optimistic and positive about it.”
Dr. Andrew Brief of the Ridgewood Orthopedic Group agreed with the team’s approach, explaining that resting the rookie now is a sensible precaution.
“He might just have a high pain tolerance. But it seems like an opportune moment for the Brooklyn Nets to shut him down now, given the fact that he’s having symptoms, and he’s had recurrence,” Dr. Brief told Lewis. “It’s probably affecting his play, and the team is not in the situation right now where they’re playing for a playoff spot.”
