Nets Notebook: Jordi Fernendez shares injury updates on Ziaire Williams and Trendon Watford

Speaking to reporters up of Wednesday’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns astatine Barclays Center, Nets caput manager Jordi Fernandez provided a fewer updates connected the wounded front.

Forward Ziaire Williams, who did not play successful Tuesday’s nonaccomplishment to the Knicks, is considered day-to-day with a near ankle sprain. He was ruled retired of Wednesday’s crippled arsenic well. There is nary timeline for erstwhile he’ll instrumentality to the court.

Fellow guardant Trendon Watford, who has not played since Dec. 16 due to the fact that of a near hamstring strain, besides remained sidelined connected Wednesday. While there’s nary timetable for erstwhile he’ll return, either, Fernandez said helium has progressed to contact workouts.

Williams missed 12 consecutive games from Dec. 2 — Jan. 1 due to the fact that of a near genu sprain, but did play successful 10 consecutive from Jan. 2 — Jan. 19, wherever helium averaged 11.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals connected .424/.396/.852 splits.

Watford missed the full preseason and the archetypal 13 games of the regular play due to the fact that of a hamstring strain. He made his 2024-25 debut against the Knicks connected Nov. 17 astatine Madison Square Garden. He averaged 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists successful 13 games disconnected the seat this play earlier re-aggravating his wounded against the Cleveland Cavaliers connected Dec. 16.

Fernandez announced connected Tuesday that Cam Thomas, who hasn’t played since Jan. 2 due to the fact that of a near hamstring strain, has been doing on-court activities with nary interaction and “everything looks good”.

It appears that Bojan Bogdanovic, who was acquired successful the Mikal Bridges commercialized with the Knicks past offseason, is successful the aforesaid boat. He’s yet to look successful a crippled this season, inactive recovering from offseason ft surgery.

“Exactly the aforesaid arsenic what he’s been doing — non-contact, on-court workouts,” Fernandez said of Bogdanovic. “He’s done a large occupation being astir the team, utilizing his dependable arsenic a leader, arsenic a veteran. He’s doing a bully job.”

SHORTHANDED AGAIN

With Williams, Watford, Thomas, Cam Johnson (right ankle sprain), Ben Simmons (illness), D’Angelo Russell (left hamstring tightness wounded management) and Maxwell Lewis (left tibia fracture) each sidelined connected Wednesday, the Nets were forced to look Phoenix with conscionable 9 disposable players.

Brooklyn had conscionable 8 disposable players against the Detroit Pistons connected Jan. 8.

Johnson, who’s availability has been severely constricted successful caller weeks, injured his ankle connected Nov. 25 against the Golden State Warriors. He re-injured connected Jan. 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks, and unfortunately, helium tweaked it again during the team’s triumph against the Portland Trail Blazers connected Jan. 14. The guardant finished some games but appeared to tweak his ankle again successful Tuesday’s nonaccomplishment to the Knicks.

“He conscionable jammed it a small bit… He’ll beryllium out,” Fernandez said of Johnson’s ankle injury. “We don’t cognize for however long… He’s got discomfort and we’ve got to marque definite we negociate it truthful adjacent clip he’s successful helium tin prolong it.”

The Suns played without Bradley Beal connected Wednesday. Brooklyn utilized its 24th starting lineup of the play against Phoenix, the astir done the archetypal 45 games of a play successful franchise history.

DURANT RETURNS TO BROOKLYN

Ex-Net Kevin Durant returned to Barclays Center connected Wednesday for the archetypal clip successful 2024-25. Fernandez and the Nets were shorthanded erstwhile they played the Suns successful Phoenix connected Nov. 27 but managed to power the crippled passim and were capable to propulsion disconnected an early-season upset, 127-117.

“He’s a aboriginal hall-of-famer and that large of a player,” Fernandez said of Durant. “He presents a batch of challenges for your defence and your offense. It’s ever large to play against these types of players due to the fact that it challenges your team. You get to bash things that person to beryllium antithetic and propulsion antithetic coverages. The mode helium tin people astatine antithetic levels and the mode helium shoots the ball, and helium doesn’t spot who’s successful beforehand of him. His leadership, however pugnacious mentally helium is, each those things, it’s awesome astatine each level.”

Durant, backmost successful his erstwhile home, had benignant words to stock astir the Nets enactment arsenic well.

“I privation to spot this franchise bash well,” Durant said. “What’s it 12-13 picks they got?… When you look astatine the large picture, you’ve got young guys getting experience, you’re gathering assets and getting aboriginal picks. Hopefully, you tin draught up and enactment the squad unneurotic well. I deliberation they’re walking successful the close direction.”