Brooklyn Nets rookie forward Joshua Jefferson has not made his preseason debut yet as he's dealing with lower back stiffness that has prevented him from playing up to this point. Brooklyn has always been cautious with its players when it comes to injuries and ailments such as muscle tightness, but the bad news is that Nets fans will have to wait until the regular season to see Jefferson play.
Jefferson is the only player that will miss Wednesday's preseason finale at the Miami Heat due to his back stiffness, according to Erik Slater of ClutchPoints. While Jefferson will not make an appearance during the preseason when head coach Jordi Fernandez and the coaching staff is still make its evaluations, fellow rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. will be making
his preseason debut.
Jefferson, 22, was taken by the Nets with the No. 28 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft as a result of the trade that brought forward Julius Randle to the team from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jefferson had to rehab from an ankle injury following his senior season with the Iowa State Cyclones, but he was able to play for the Nets in their summer league circuit this offseason.
In three games played in the Las Vegas Summer League, Jefferson averaged 7.3 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 33.3% from the field and 12.5% from behind the three-point line. Since Jefferson has been unable to participate in any of the preseason games, it's hard to say where he factors within Fernandez's rotation, but he's likely to see some frontcourt minutes at some point this season.
After the Nets acquired Randle from the Timberwolves, it's safe to say that he will slot in as the starting power forward, leaving Jefferson, Noah Clowney, and Danny Wolf to compete for minutes at the power forward spot. With that being said, Jefferson has a chance to break into the rotation if he performs well in practice once he returns from his back stiffness, but as of now, he will be on the bench for the preseason finale.
Joshua Jefferson (lower back stiffness) is the Nets’ only inactive for tonight’s preseason finale vs. the Heat.
— Erik Slater (@ErikSlater_) October 14, 2026
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Joshua Jefferson (back) ruled out for preseason finale at Heat
