<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drake-powell-ben-saraf-assigned-g-league');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Drake Powell, Ben Saraf assigned to G League but Danny Wolf remains in Brooklyn');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Ben-Saraf.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Drake Powell, Ben Saraf assigned to G League but Danny Wolf remains in Brooklyn</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-12-09T07:40:15-08:00">December 9th, 7:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-12-09T07:48:33-08:00">December 9th, 7:48am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets are taking advantage of an unusual five-day, midseason layoff to get their rookies added reps. After failing to advance to the knockout rounds of the NBA Cup, the Nets won’t be back in action until Friday. The team assigned rookies Drake Powell and Ben Saraf to their G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, on Monday.</p><p>With Long Island playing on Tuesday and Wednesday, Powell and Saraf will have an opportunity to play extended minutes during Brooklyn’s break. It would mark Powell’s first appearances with Long Island this season, while <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-brooklyn-rookie-nearing-return-extended-absence">Saraf played in four G League games</a> earlier in the year.</p><p>Both players have been fixtures in Brooklyn’s rotation over the past few weeks.</p><h2>Nets rookies Drake Powell, Ben Saraf assigned to G League during extended break</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Drake-Powell.jpg"><figcaption>Benny Sieu-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-rookie-emerging-as-silver-lining">Powell has played 21.1 minutes per game</a> over 14 appearances with Brooklyn since returning from a pair of early-season ankle injuries. The 6-foot-5 wing has averaged 6.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists on .466/.364/.944 shooting splits during that span.</p><p>Meanwhile, Saraf started the Nets’ first five games at point guard before the team sent him down to the G League. The rookie appeared in four games with Long Island, averaging 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.3 turnovers on .465/.286/.778 shooting splits.</p><p>Saraf recently returned to Brooklyn’s rotation, playing 21.3 minutes per game over the team’s last five outings. He’s averaged 8.4 points, 1.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.8 turnovers on .429/.300/.857 shooting splits during that span.</p><p>Danny Wolf was notably not assigned to Long Island alongside Powell and Wolf on Monday. The No. 27 pick was the last of the Nets’ five rookies to receive NBA minutes this season. However, following <a href="https://stats.gleague.nba.com/player/1642874/" rel="noopener">a promising G League stint</a>, he’s recently emerged as one of Brooklyn’s most impactful players after cracking the rotation.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-michael-porter-jr-hilarious-reaction-to-danny-wolf-poster-dunk">Wolf has played 24.2 minutes per night</a> over the Nets’ last five games. During that span, he’s averaged 12.8 points — the third most on the team — 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 46.9 percent shooting from the field and 46.2 percent from three.</p><p>While Powell, Saraf and Nolan Traore will spend time in Long Island this week, Wolf’s production could keep him up with Brooklyn for the remainder of the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Drake Powell, Ben Saraf assigned to G League but Danny Wolf remains in Brooklyn

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/is-nets-rookie-drake-powell-playing-vs-pistons');   ga('set', 'title', 'Is Nets rookie Drake Powell playing vs. Pistons? Latest injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Drake-Powell-1.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Is Nets rookie Drake Powell playing vs. Pistons? Latest injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-06T18:54:58-08:00">November 6th, 6:54pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-06T19:00:08-08:00">November 6th, 7:00pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Brooklyn Nets will attempt to pick up their second win of the season when they host the Detroit Pistons on Friday at Barclays Center. Rookie shooting guard Drake Powell <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2025-11-06_09PM.pdf" rel="noopener">is questionable</a> for the game due to a right ankle sprain.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drake-powell-ruled-out-home-opener">Powell initially injured his ankle</a> during the Nets’ Oct. 22 season-opener against the Charlotte Hornets. The No. 22 pick did not play in Brooklyn’s next five games but returned during a Nov. 2 matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-rookie-drake-powell-re-injures-ankle">he re-injured his ankle on a non-contact play</a> after four minutes of action.</p><h2>Nets rookie Drake Powell nearing return after re-injuring ankle</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/USATSI_27488690.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Powell missed the Nets’ last two games due to the injury. However, a questionable tag for Friday’s Pistons matchup indicates that he won’t be sidelined for an extended period.</p><p>Powell’s return will add much-needed athleticism and defensive versatility to the Nets’ rotation. Brooklyn holds the NBA’s worst defense this season, allowing opponents to score 124.5 points per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field and 42.0 percent from three. The former North Carolina wing was among the nation’s top defenders during his freshman season and was widely regarded as the best athlete in this year’s draft.</p><p>While Powell is limited offensively outside of his three-point shooting, he excelled as a transition play finisher last season. His straight-line speed and above-the-rim finishing could provide a boost for a Nets offense that ranks dead last in transition offense. Brooklyn is averaging 9.3 fastbreak points per game, 2.3 points below the 29th-ranked Los Angeles Lakers.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-cam-thomas-ruled-out-of-pacers-matchup">The Nets will be without leading scorer Cam Thomas</a> on Friday after he injured his left hamstring during Wednesday’s win over the Indiana Pacers. Thomas strained the same hamstring three times last season, limiting him to 25 games. Terance Mann is probable for the Pistons matchup with left shoulder soreness.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Is Nets rookie Drake Powell playing vs. Pistons? Latest injury update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-rookie-drake-powell-re-injures-ankle');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets rookie Drake Powell re-injures ankle upon return to lineup');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/USATSI_27488775.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets rookie Drake Powell re-injures ankle upon return to lineup</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-11-03T11:37:09-08:00">November 3rd, 11:37am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-11-03T11:41:52-08:00">November 3rd, 11:41am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Brooklyn Nets rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drake-powell-ruled-out-home-opener">Drake Powell’s poor injury luck</a> continued on Sunday. After missing four games due to an ankle sprain he suffered during Brooklyn’s season-opener, the 19-year-old re-entered the lineup vs. the Philadelphia 76ers. However, his return was short-lived, as he re-injured his right ankle four minutes into his second NBA game.</p><p>Powell <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1985130868940374243" rel="noopener">turned his ankle</a> on a non-contact play. He exited the game, and the Nets promptly ruled him out.</p><p>“I have no idea,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said of the severity of the injury. “It’s bad luck when you step on somebody, and ankles are usually soft tissue. We can discuss that, but when you step on somebody, you cannot control that. So bad luck, I feel for the kid. He’ll be back soon because he’s a worker and he’s great. He started very well with great energy… Unfortunately, this is part of the game, and he’ll be back soon.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Drake Powell just turned his right ankle, the same one he injured during the first quarter of Brooklyn's season-opener.</p><p>It wasn't a very abnormal play. That ankle doesn't look very stable. <a href="https://t.co/3ToU7Gitt8">pic.twitter.com/3ToU7Gitt8</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1985130868940374243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Powell missed most of the offseason due to left knee tendinopathy. However, he’s impressed during his limited NBA opportunities.</p><h2>Drake Powell re-injures right ankle after returning to Nets’ lineup</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/USATSI_27488690.jpg"><figcaption>John Jones-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The former North Carolina wing provided a spark off the bench on Sunday, going coast-to-coast for a transition layup and bolstering Brooklyn’s defensive rotations. Powell was among Fernandez’s first substitutions, with the head coach searching for a solution to his team’s horrid defense.</p><p>“You bring in Drake, who is a good defender and is gonna be a high-level defender, and we keep developing these [other] guys. Unfortunately, he couldn’t play longer. But that was the thought process, was to try to help with the lineups. It just didn’t work out,” Fernandez said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Drake Powell with a strong take and finish on the fastbreak. His transition play finishing was the best part of his offensive game at North Carolina. <a href="https://t.co/EwGTxNrXxx">pic.twitter.com/EwGTxNrXxx</a></p><p>— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) <a href="https://twitter.com/erikslater_/status/1985128450160771379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-michael-porter-jr-praises-freak-rookie">Powell was among the nation’s top defenders</a> while converting 38 percent of his threes during his lone college season. Many <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/brooklyn-nets-2025-nba-draft-grade-no-22-pick-drake-powell">regarded him as the top athlete</a> in this year’s draft class. However, he’s been limited by injuries after the Nets selected him with the No. 22 pick in June’s draft.</p><p>With the rookie sidelined by another ankle sprain, Ziaire Williams and Jalen Wilson should continue to see minutes on the wing in Brooklyn’s second unit.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets rookie Drake Powell re-injures ankle upon return to lineup

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drake-powell-ruled-out-home-opener');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Drake Powell ruled out for home opener with ankle injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Drake-Powell-1.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Drake Powell ruled out for home opener with ankle injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T18:20:45-07:00">October 23rd, 6:20pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T18:24:18-07:00">October 23rd, 6:24pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Brooklyn Nets rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-jordi-fernandez-delivers-disheartening-message">Drake Powell made his NBA debut</a> in his home state on Wednesday. The former North Carolina wing played seven minutes during a 136-117 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, posting two points and two rebounds while converting his only shot attempt. While Powell continued to show promise, he sprained his ankle in the fourth quarter.</p><p>Powell remained in the game initially but was unable to continue playing. The 19-year-old intentionally fouled before limping to Brooklyn’s bench. While the severity of the injury is unclear, the Nets ruled Powell out for Friday’s home opener vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers.</p><h2>Drake Powell sidelined by ankle sprain following Nets debut</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Drake-Powell.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Powell missed the majority of the offseason due to left knee tendinopathy. He was the only Nets rookie who did not play at Summer League. However, he returned during Brooklyn’s pair of preseason matchups with the Phoenix Suns in Macao.</p><p>The 6-foot-6 wing made an immediate impact against Phoenix, averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 4-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-6 from three in 14.5 minutes per game.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-michael-porter-jr-praises-freak-rookie">Powell was among the nation’s top defenders</a> during his lone college season. He was widely regarded as the top athlete in this year’s draft class, <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-strength-agility?dir=D&amp;sort=MAX_VERTICAL_LEAP" rel="noopener">recording a 43-inch max vertical leap</a>, the highest at this year’s combine and the 14th-highest in combine history.</p><p>Brooklyn will be looking to improve its defense after a putrid showing on Wednesday. The Nets allowed the Hornets to shoot 48-of-90 (53 percent) from the field and 17-of-36 (47 percent) from three. They were outscored 18-0 in fastbreak points during the first half and 23-5 for the game.</p><p>Rookie big man <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-danny-wolf-misses-season-opener">Danny Wolf missed Brooklyn’s season opener</a> after injuring his ankle during a shootaround on Wednesday. The Nets ruled Wolf out for Friday’s Cavs matchup.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Drake Powell ruled out for home opener with ankle injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-drake-powell-available-to-make-debut-on-friday-vs-suns');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Drake Powell available to make debut on Friday vs. Suns');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_25149308-e1755047476680.jpg"><figcaption>Jan 7, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Drake Powell (9) signals to the passer for the assist in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Drake Powell available to make debut on Friday vs. Suns</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-09T15:10:07-07:00">October 9th, 3:10pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-09T20:13:10-07:00">October 9th, 8:13pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Drake Powell is the only Nets rookie yet to appear during Summer League or the preseason. That could change during Friday’s meeting with the Phoenix Suns in Macao. After Powell missed most of the offseason with left knee tendinopathy, the Nets removed the rookie from their injury report ahead of their first of two matchups in China.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-drake-powell-ruled-out-for-preseason-opener">Powell was limited to open training camp</a> due to his knee injury. However, the No. 22 pick participated in five-on-five scrimmages early last week.</p><h2>Nets rookie Drake Powell available to make Brooklyn debut during Suns matchup</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Drake-Powell-1.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-michael-porter-jr-praises-freak-rookie">Michael Porter praised Powell’s athleticism</a> during the team’s scrimmages, calling the rookie a “freak.”</p><p>“He has a foundation to keep building on his skillset. He’s obviously very young, very raw, but he’s comfortable in the mid-range, he’s knocked down a few threes in a scrimmage,” Porter Jr. said. “I just feel like with his frame and his height, if he keeps focused, then he can just keep elevating.”</p><p>Friday will mark Powell’s first game action since his final game at North Carolina. The 6-foot-6 wing appeared in 37 games for the Tar Heels with 24 starts. He averaged 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists on 48/38/65 shooting splits in 25.6 minutes per game.</p><p>Powell will join Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf as Brooklyn’s rookies active on Friday. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-ben-saraf-impresses-starting-point-guard-preseason-opener">Saraf started at point guard during Saturday’s 123-88 win</a> over Hapoel Jerusalem. He played 18 minutes, posting nine points on 4-of-6 shooting with six assists and one turnover while finishing a team-best +25.</p><p>Traore also played 18 minutes, finishing with seven points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field and 1-of-3 from three with two assists and one turnover. Meanwhile, Wolf posted five points, five rebounds and five assists on 2-of-4 shooting in 15 minutes.</p><p>Brooklyn’s matchup with Phoenix on Friday will tip off at 8AM EST, followed by a 7AM EST tip during Sunday’s rematch.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Drake Powell available to make debut on Friday vs. Suns

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-drake-powell-ruled-out-for-preseason-opener');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Drake Powell to make debut during China trip after missing preseason opener');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Drake-Powell-1.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Drake Powell to make debut during China trip after missing preseason opener</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-03T13:19:21-07:00">October 3rd, 1:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-03T13:24:36-07:00">October 3rd, 1:24pm</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Drake Powell’s Brooklyn Nets debut will have to wait a little longer. After missing Summer League due to left knee tendinopathy, the No. 22 pick has been ruled out for Saturday’s preseason opener vs. Hapoel Jerusalem, according to head coach Jordi Fernandez. However, Powell is expected to play during one of Brooklyn’s matchups with the Phoenix Suns in China next weekend.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drake-powell-takes-significant-step-towards-return">Powell was limited at the start of training camp</a> due to his knee ailment. However, he has progressed to participating in scrimmages over the last week.</p><h2>Drake Powell expected to make Nets preseason debut in China</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/UNCs-Drake-Powell.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The 19-year-old’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-michael-porter-jr-praises-freak-rookie">athleticism has impressed Michael Porter Jr.</a>, who referred to him as a “freak.” Powell, who stands 6-foot-6 with a seven-foot wingspan, recorded a 43-inch max vertical leap at the combine, the highest among all participants. Among the 73 players who tested, he also ranked in the top 10 of the shuttle run, three-quarter court sprint and lane agility test.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/brooklyn-nets-2025-nba-draft-grade-no-22-pick-drake-powell">Powell was among the ACC’s top defenders last season</a> while shooting 38 percent from three. However, he was very raw as a ball-handler, which primarily limited him to a spot-up role.</p><p>The Nets have a crowded wing rotation that features Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Ziaire Williams, Haywood Highsmith, Tyrese Martin, Jalen Wilson and Dariq Whitehead. Given this, it would not be surprising for Powell to spend time in the G League early in the year. Several Brooklyn draft picks, most recently Nic Claxton and Noah Clowney, have had success with Long Island before earning a spot in the NBA rotation.</p><p>Fellow rookie first-round picks Ben Saraf, Nolan Traore and Danny Wolf could also play games with Long Island as the Nets configure their lineup.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nets’ Drake Powell to make debut during China trip after missing preseason opener

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-drake-powell-takes-significant-step-towards-return');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nets’ Drake Powell takes significant step towards return from knee injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Drake-Powell-1.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nets’ Drake Powell takes significant step towards return from knee injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-30T11:28:09-07:00">September 30th, 11:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-30T11:30:37-07:00">September 30th, 11:30am</time><address><a>Erik Slater</a>Erik Slater is the credentialed Brooklyn Nets beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He's a graduate of Lehigh University and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, as well as a Lehigh Football and Syracuse Football alum.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Brooklyn Nets rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-brooklyn-loses-rookie-1st-round-pick-summer-league-knee-injury">Drake Powell is the team’s only draft pick who did not take the floor</a> at Summer League. The No. 22 pick has been limited for most of the offseason due to knee tendinopathy. However, Powell took a significant step towards returning to game action during Brooklyn’s first week of training camp.</p><p>The North Carolina product participated in the contact portion of practice on Monday.</p><p>“He’s been doing a great job. His body looks good. Getting ready to better ramp up and just being cautious,” said head coach Jordi Fernandez. “He’s done a really good job. He’s an elite athlete, we believe the best athlete in the draft, so it’s exciting to watch him take those steps, and he is putting the work in, for sure.”</p><p>Fernandez was noncommittal about whether Powell would play in Saturday’s preseason opener against Hapoel Jerusalem. When the rookie wing does return, he’ll present one of the most athletic draftees in Nets franchise history.</p><h2>What should Nets fans expect from Drake Powell during his rookie season?</h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Drake-Powell-2.jpg"><figcaption>Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/brooklyn-nets-2025-nba-draft-grade-no-22-pick-drake-powell">Powell recorded a 43-inch max vertical leap</a> at this year’s combine, the highest among all participants. Measuring 6-foot-6 with a seven-foot wingspan, his size, explosive athleticism and fluid mobility made him one of college basketball’s top defenders last season.</p><p>The 19-year-old was effective as a three-point shooter with the Tar Heels, <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/drake-powell-1.html" rel="noopener">converting 37.9 percent</a> of 2.6 attempts per game. However, he was extremely limited outside of his spot-up role. The Nets coaching staff’s ability to develop his ball-handling and scoring will be among the team’s top storylines during the coming seasons.</p><p>“It’s been great. Just being able to be a student of the game,” Powell said of his first practices. “I’m still trying to learn different concepts in this new system… There are still some things to learn. It’s different being on the sidelines and now being on the court, but yeah, just still taking it day by day. And most importantly, you know, I have trust in myself.”</p><p>Fellow rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/brooklyn-nets/nets-news-egor-demin-dealt-injury-setback">Egor Demin has also been limited</a> to start camp. The No. 8 pick is tending to a plantar fascia tear and has not yet participated in the contact portion of practice.</p><p>“We have a plan for them, and they’ve been progressing as we’ve wanted,” Fernandez said of Powell and Demin.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
6.1	2.0	1.8	0.1	0.9

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
6.1	2.0	1.8	0.1	0.9

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