Nets Prioritize Full Recovery for Rookie Mikel Brown Jr.

Brooklyn Nets rookie Mikel Brown Jr. has returned to the court for limited practice as he recovers from a left ankle injury, though he has not yet been cleared for contact.

Brown expressed his eagerness to play, but acknowledged the team's emphasis on a complete recovery. "As of right now, they're just telling me you could get back moving a little bit, really just trying to get the strengthening it up back," Brown said. "I mean, I am back on the court moving. That's all I'm really worried about right now. I'm just taking it one step at a time."

The Nets have not provided a specific timetable for Brown's return, prioritizing his health over a rushed comeback. "I feel like I have no choice but to be patient," Brown stated. "I want to be out there so bad, but they've just been emphasizing to me, 'Let's take our time with this stuff and get you back 100 percent,' which me, I'm trying to play as soon as possible. So really just attacking this rehab, focusing on stuff that I can control."

The team is scheduled to begin its preseason on Tuesday in Charlotte. Brown remained non-committal about his potential participation in any of the preseason games, which include three more contests before the regular-season opener on October 21 against the Hornets.

"I mean, that's up to the performance staff," Brown said when asked about playing in the preseason. "I'm just doing what I can to get back on the court as of right now."

In other team news, forward Keon Ellis has impressed during the early days of training camp. "Keon has been hooping these first [few] days," Michael Porter Jr. commented. "He plays the right way. He plays defense. He can really shoot the ball, and he's been just overall very solid."

Head coach Jordi Fernández has been managing the team's workload, separating players like Porter and Julius Randle in practice drills. On Thursday, the team focused on a non-contact, mental session with film review and walk-throughs to allow players to rest their legs before a more intensive practice on Friday. "When you're tired, you can lose it easily. And [Thursday] being a non-contact session and a session that it's more mental with the film and the walk-throughs and installing new things, your brain needs to be there," Fernández explained. "It was very positive like an active recovery where you still need to advance. ... It was a great day. And then [Friday], it's going to be a big high-load game day with a lot of playing. with a lot of playing. And players, they love to play, so they're excited about tomorrow."