Nets Hopeful Yuta Watanabe, T.J. Warren Return This Week
The Brooklyn Nets began their seven-game homestand in Brooklyn Sunday afternoon. It’s a homestand that Nets head coach, Jacque Vaughn said is essential for his group and he’s hopeful the Nets will have two scoring punches available for most of it.
Prior to Sunday’s contest against the Portland Trail Blazers, Vaughn stated he’s hopeful both Yuta Watanabe (right hamstring strain) and T.J. Warren (left foot - injury recovery) will be available for Brooklyn later this week.
“Hopefully, we're trending in that direction,” said Vaughn on Watanabe and Warren returning this week. “Neither one has had a setback, and so they're still progressing. So hopefully that does happen.”
Watanabe, who is leading the NBA in 3-Point percentage (57.1 percent), has missed the last four games due to his right hamstring strain. In his absence, Brooklyn have gone 2-2 and have missed his scoring and rebounding punch off the bench.
Warren is slated to make his return on Dec. 2, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The injured wing has been rehabbing his left foot after undergoing surgery, was recently cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmages and hasn’t had any setbacks. He is coming off consecutive stress fractures in his left foot, limiting him to only four games the past two seasons. Warren hasn’t played in an NBA game since Dec. 29, 2020.
The 29-year-old, who is a low-risk, high reward signing for the Nets, will join a loaded wing position for Brooklyn once he returns. He’ll join Joe Harris, Royce O’Neale, Yuta Watanabe, and Kessler Edwards. It’s likely Warren will come off the bench for the Nets with the potential of being a sixth-man candidate.
