Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said Monday that he isn't sure exactly how he'll rejigger the lineup when Kyrie Irving is ready to return from his latest knee injury. However, he acknowledged that one option could be to shift Caris LeVert to the small forward spot and start Irving alongside Spencer Dinwiddie.
Kenny Atkinson insists he’s not sure yet how he wants his rotations to shake out once Kyrie Irving gets back and is available alongside guards Caris LeVert and Spencer Dinwiddie. Says he would consider playing LeVert at small forward. #Nets
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) February 10, 2020
Irving has played just 20 games in his first season with the Nets, and Monday's contest at Indiana marked the fourth consecutive game he missed with what the team is calling a medial ligament strain. No timetable has been announced for his return (Kyrie injuries always tend to be shrouded in mystery).
Incidentally, the past three games (with Irving out) have been LeVert's three best performances since his January return from thumb surgery, as he dropped 69 total points on 51.7 field goal percentage, including 11-of-16 from downtown and 18-of-18 from the charity stripe.
The Nets has dealt with injuries all season across the roster, and the inconsistent availability of multiple players has made it tough for Kenny Atkinson and his staff to settle on rotations and figure out the most optimal lineup combinations. In fact, Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie and Caris LeVert have shared the court for just 67 minutes all season.
LeVert, at 6-foot-6, has the size to play the small forward role, and Joe Harris and Taurean Prince can aptly serve as slightly undersized stretch-4s (one of them will likely have to come off the bench if Kyrie, Dinwiddie and LeVert all start).
The Nets (23-28) currently lead the Orlando Magic by two games for the no. 7 spot in the East — thanks to a laughably bad bottom half of the conference.
Follow Us
Subscribe