Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. has not been able to play in the preseason as of this writing due to a left ankle injury that he suffered in the early days of training camp. Brooklyn has had to play two preseason games without Brown being available in the lineup, but it seems like the rookie should be ready to go for the preseason finale.
"Mikel Brown Jr. has advanced in his ramp up and been practicing fully over the weekend. The rookie went through 5-on-5 this morning, and - though he’ll sit out vs. the Wizards - is expected to make his preseason debut Wednesday at the Heat," Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported on Monday. As Lewis alluded to, the Nets will be playing the Wizards on Monday without Brown in the rotation.
The good
news for the Nets is that forward Michael Porter Jr. and center Day'Ron Sharpe will be available for Monday's preseason game at Washington after missing a 114-108 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 8. Porter missed the contest due to soreness in his left wrist while Sharpe did not play against LeBron James and company as he had left shoulder soreness.
With Brown being unable to take the floor for the Nets in their first two preseason games, it seems that the guard combination that head coach Jordi Fernandez has been going with is Egor Demin at point guard and Keon Ellis at shooting guard. Demin spent some of last season playing off the ball next to players like Nolan Traore and Ellis has had experience playing either guard spot, but seems more comfortable in an off-ball role.
With Brown missing Monday's preseason game at the Heat, Porter and Sharpe should be back in their starting spots and Demin and Ellis will likely be the starting guard combination against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat. It's good news that Brown is expected to make his preseason debut on Wednesday and hopefully, that means that he would be ready to go beyond that day as well.
Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle) has advanced in his ramp up and been practicing fully over the weekend. The rookie went through 5-on-5 this morning, and - though he’ll sit out vs. the #Wizards - is expected to make his preseason debut Wednesday at the #Heat. #nets #nba
— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) October 12, 2026
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. expected to make preseason debut Wednesday
