Injury Report: Day’Ron Sharpe, Trendon Watford suffer hamstring strains
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
It’s day 7 of training camp and the bandages and splints are out already. The injury bug wasted no time biting into the Brooklyn Nets this season. Just a few days into training camp and a few hours before the their first preseason bout, the Nets have two guys already trading jerseys in for street clothes — Trendon Watford and Day’Ron Sharpe.
Both players have been diagnosed with left hamstring strains after sustaining injuries during training camp practices last week, the team announced Monday morning.
Sharpe and Watford have already started the rehabilitation process and will pause all on-court activity for the time being. An update on Watford will be provided in two weeks. Sharpe will have his status updated in six weeks, the team added.
Brooklyn’s regular season opener lies 16 days away, so this diagnosis will rule Sharpe out for that contest and several others after. With Watford scheduled for an update two days before that game, there’s a chance he could play vs Atlanta, but nothing more than that at this point.
After stringing together a series of impressive performances to close out last year, the Nets brought back Watford this summer on a one-year deal, leaving reason to believe the team hopes to use him as a key man off the bench this year.
Sharpe is headed into the last year of his rookie contract. A knee hyperextension injury stunted what was shaping up to be a breakout year for him last season, especially on the glass, where he was one of the league’s best per-minute rebounders off the bench. He still finished the year with career-best marks in points, assists, and boards.
While both players have somewhat struggled to stay healthy in the past, neither has hamstring issues in their injury backlogs. It’s likely an aggravating setback for each player individually and a team that’s enjoyed playing fast and hard so far during camp, according to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis.
“Probably one of the most unique, and hardest training camps I’ve been through in these 12 years now,” Dennis Schroder acknowledged to Lewis. “Like it, though, so far. Everybody’s buying into it. Coach and coaches are doing a great job of keeping us organized and together. It’s been great.”
But, suggested second year player Dariq Whitehead, Fernandez also makes sure that things have a purpose and are fun.
Setting a foundation. pic.twitter.com/Qq4aRBB1ny— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 7, 2024
“We’re going to be well-conditioned,” Dorian Finney-Smith laughed. “The people I talk to around the league, they all had great things to say about him, so I knew what to expect. I heard he was a hard worker and he’d want us to compete. That’s what he’s been asking us.”
Be that as it may, Sharpe’s injury should give the Nets an opportunity to experiment more at the 5 behind Nic Claxton. The versatile Noah Clowney will likely play some minutes as the team’s anchor down low. The well-disputed Ben Simmons “small ball” strategy is likely to come into play at some point with Sharpe unavailable.
Claxton is also dealing with a hamstring injury which will hold him out of Brooklyn’s preseason opener in Los Angeles tomorrow. However, the team clarified the decision to keep Clax sidelined is a precautionary move and shouldn’t warrant any concern.
Jordi Fernandez puts emphasis on conditioning with tough Nets camp - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Nets already facing injury mess with Day’Ron Sharpe, Trendon Watford out for weeks - Brian Lewis - New York Post
Nets’ Trendon Watford, Day’Ron Sharpe ruled out for entire preseason ($) - C.J. Holmes - New York Daily News
Nets’ Day’Ron Sharpe, Trendon Watford to miss start of season with hamstring injuries - Erik Slater - Clutch Points
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