Nets guards Seth Curry, Joe Harris will not be prepared for opener

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guards Seth Curry (left ankle) and Joe Harris (left foot) won’t be prepared for the regular-season opener in opposition to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday as they proceed their respective rehab plans, the workforce introduced Sunday.

Curry had offseason ankle surgical procedure and has been capable of do some four-on-four work in observe in current days, however remains to be not able to play. The identical goes for Harris, who had two ankle surgical procedures final season and was capable of play in solely 14 video games.

“I am not involved. I am optimistic, I am optimistic,” Nets coach Steve Nash mentioned after Sunday’s observe. “It is simply not easy with guys coming off surgical procedures, assimilating again to play. It isn’t all the time like straight up. Typically you undergo some adaptation points. So I believe these guys are dealing with that greater than, ‘Oh, the emergency lights are on and we’re involved.’ I believe we really feel like that is simply part of them getting again to it.”

Nash made it clear that neither participant had a setback over the previous couple of weeks. Harris mentioned final week that whereas he was hopeful to play within the opener, he has been instructed by his physician that the foot soreness he is coping with is regular after going via an ankle reconstruction.

“It is effectively inside the realm of normalcy for guys to have little hiccups on their manner again from surgical procedure,” Nash mentioned.

Nash mentioned that Curry could also be a “hair behind” Harris by way of a return to the ground, however each gamers are making progress. The Nets mentioned they may have an replace on each gamers’ standing Thursday.

Within the meantime, veteran guard Royce O’Neale is predicted to start out and get extra minutes with Curry and Harris out. O’Neale mentioned it did not matter to him whether or not he began or got here off the bench after he was acquired over the summer season from the Utah Jazz.

“These guys are making it simpler for me,” O’Neale mentioned. “I attempt to make it simpler for them. They’re creators, flattening open photographs and creating for them. Everyone studying off one another has been nice.”