DALLAS — The undefeated Nets (0-2) headed to Charlotte to face the Hornets on Monday night with their starting frontcourt still highly questionable.
Center Nic Claxton and power forward Cam Johnson missed Friday night’s loss to the Mavericks, and their availability remained in doubt even after another day of rest.
“Yeah, I think they’re both still routine. Let’s see how they feel. [Monday]” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “It was good to have a few days in between.
But now I do both on a daily basis. ”
Johnson was sidelined with a left calf contusion sustained in last Wednesday’s season opener against Cleveland.
The sweet-shooting forward, who missed the entire preseason with a minor hamstring injury, was back on the court and shooting, at least in Sunday’s practice in Dallas.
Claxton is also sidelined with a left ankle sprain suffered in the loss to the Cavaliers.
He arrived at the morning shootaround before Friday’s game wearing a walking boot and remained in the walking boot during Sunday’s practice.
“I mean, of course we need him. That’s our guy,” Ben Simmons said.
The Nets all agree that Cam Thomas is the toughest shot maker on the roster.
But they’re also looking at how the 22-year-old guard has improved over the past season and made his rapid growth sustainable.
“It’s just in terms of maturity. When you look at how much he’s grown from last year to this year, the effort he put in over the summer and even in training camp and preseason, all the progress and effort has paid off. “It’s been a long time coming,” Lois O’Neal said. “I think he’s going to continue to get better.”
Brooklyn has already started the season, but some young players will get a chance to see action as the G League Nets begin preparing for the season.
The Long Island Nets will begin training camp on Tuesday, with Brooklyn two-way forwards Jalen Wilson and Armoni Brooks scheduled to participate.
First-round picks Darik Whitehead and Noah Clowney, both still just 19 years old, are the youngest players the Nets have ever drafted and are expected to join the Nets.
Whitehead, a Newark native who played a season at Duke, is recovering from foot surgery.
He has progressed from 1-on-1 to 2-on-2 and is moving to full 5-on-5 contact in the near future.
Long Island big man Patrick Gardner, who was a member of the Egyptian national team at this summer’s FIBA World Cup, also plays for Long Island.
