Brooklyn Nets point guard Egor Demin is dealing with an injury setback entering training camp. General Manager Sean Marks revealed on Tuesday that the No. 8 pick has been tending to a plantar fascia tear.
“He wants to get out there. He’s been a little bit limited with the plantar fascia tear after summer league. So he hasn’t potentially had the summer that he would’ve loved,” Marks said. “But at the same time, [his] size, position, the way he plays, the way he sees the game, and so forth, I've really enjoyed being around him and looking forward to getting him out there and seeing what he can do.”
When asked for a timeline, the GM said that Demin will be limited to start camp but should be ready for opening night.
“He'll be limited for the first part of camp in what he's going to be doing. But hopefully there's a buildup through the first couple of weeks, and then he gets out there. But we have no issues with thinking that he's gonna miss the start of the season or anything like that,” Marks said.
Demin represents the Nets' first lottery pick in 15 years and the headliner of the team's historic rookie class.
Nets point guard Egor Demin dealing with plantar fascia tear as training camp begins
The Russian floor general made four appearances at Summer League, averaging 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 43.5 percent from three on 7.7 attempts per game. He downplayed the severity of his injury on Tuesday.
“Well, the injury itself, I’m assuming it’s not that big of a deal at this point,” Demin said. “But it’s something that comes with volume over time. It wasn't like a moment where I was like, ‘Oh, that's when it happened.'… I’m not a doctor, so it’s hard for me to even tell what’s going on with it. So, for me, it’s just important to stay present. I’m trying to focus on whatever plan I have from the physicians and whatever timing I have from them.”
The plantar fascia is a band of tissue located at the sole of the foot that connects the heel bone to the toes. The healing timeline for a tear can range from several weeks to several months, depending on its severity.
If Demin is sidelined for preseason games, fellow rookies Nolan Traore or Ben Saraf are options to replace him as Brooklyn's starting point guard.
