Nets Face Challenge with Michael Porter Jr. Out

The Nets will be missing their top player for a while.

Michael Porter Jr. is projected to be sidelined for at least two weeks due to a strained left hamstring. This absence could keep Brooklyn’s leading scorer off the court for the remainder of the season, which isn’t ideal.

The injury was revealed after Porter underwent an MRI on Wednesday, and he will be evaluated again in two to three weeks, as the team announced on Thursday.

Prior to the hamstring issue, Porter had already missed three games because of a sprained right ankle.

Since joining the Nets in a trade from the Nuggets at the start of the season, Porter has been having an impressive year, averaging 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds, shooting 46.3 percent from the field, and 36.3 percent from three-point range over 52 games.

The Nets currently hold the league’s fourth-worst record at 17-52. With this in mind, they’re likely not rushing to get Porter back, especially as they aim for a higher pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

This season, Brooklyn has gone 14-38 with Porter playing but has struggled significantly, posting a 3-14 record without him.

To add to their woes, rookie Egor Dimin recently had his season cut short due to plantar fasciitis. On Wednesday, it was confirmed that he had successful surgery. “Everything went fine,” said the 20-year-old Dimin. “Now it’s just about rehabilitation, and I plan to be back on the court once the season wraps up.” He also expressed hope that everything progresses well during his recovery.