Brooklyn Nets rookie Egor Demin will make his NBA debut during Friday's preseason finale against the Toronto Raptors. Demin missed the beginning of training camp and Brooklyn's first three preseason games due to a plantar fascia tear. However, he participated in five-on-five scrimmages last week and will play “some minutes” against the Raptors.
“He’s been practicing based on the program that we’ve had for him. It’s been a ramp-up and he’s been able to play five-on-five, and now he’s ready to see the floor,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said Thursday. “So, the good news is he’ll have some minutes [on Friday]. And that’s exciting. I’m excited for him. He’s done a great job and now we’re ready to take the next step.”
Demin's foot ailment cropped up some time after his three Summer League appearances in late July. The 19-year-old averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 43.5 percent from three in Las Vegas.
How will Nets utilize Egor Demin during his rookie campaign?
Expectations for Demin are high as the Nets' first lottery pick since Derick Favors in 2010. However, Fernandez doesn't want the rookie to feel much pressure during his first NBA appearance.
“He doesn't need to feel much pressure or anything. I want him to enjoy his first minutes,” the head coach said. “Obviously, I'm going to ask him things that I ask of everybody else, as far as doing certain things with purpose and playing really hard and using his superpowers, which are his passing and shooting and his size. But I don't want him to overthink it. I don't want him to try to analyze everything. Just go out there and have fun.”
Friday's game will mark the Nets' first with all three of their rookie point guards — Demin, Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore — available. Demin will likely be on a minutes restriction. However, it will be interesting to see how Fernandez utilizes the trio of rookie ball-handlers.
Demin is expected to start at point guard once he is at full strength. Meanwhile, Saraf has outplayed Traore this preseason and is the favorite to fill the backup role. Given their size, Demin and Saraf could spend stretches on the wing.
How much the Nets' rookie point guard trio plays together — and whether they fit — will be among the team's top questions this season.
“I don't have a crystal ball, so I don't know if I can answer that,” Fernandez said. “What I'm excited about is seeing how the process is going to go. They're all going to fight for some of the same minutes. They're all going to fight for some of the wing minutes. But right now, for sure, the starting point guard and backup point guard [spots], those three are fighting for those minutes. And that's great because we're going to see a lot of the young talent we've drafted playing real NBA minutes.”
