The Brooklyn Nets are among the teams in the NBA that are rich in young talent. Brooklyn has prospects who bring great promise to the franchise. Two of them are D'Angelo Russell and Allen Crabbe. Both were acquired by the Nets via trade during the offseason and are expected to start in the 2017-18 NBA season.
Russell, who came from the Los Angeles Lakers, is the projected starter at the shooting guard position. Meanwhile, Crabbe, who was with the Portland Trail Blazers before joining the Nets, is viewed as the starter at no. 3. Unfortunately for them, despite the starting lineup forecasts, there is still a possibility that one will be coming off the bench.
The reason to this is another rising prospect in Caris LeVert.
Following Brooklyn's first practice of the year, head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about the potential role of LeVert for the Nets. "Caris is going to make it hard on me, he’s going to make it hard for the guys he’s competing against," Atkinson said according to Newsday. "That being said, I know where he is in his career and the type of guy he is, he’s going to accept whatever role it is."
LeVert's versatility allows him to play at either shooting guard or small forward. That is why Russell and Crabbe cannot relax in training camp and the preseason. Hard work is still needed for them to secure the roles they were predicted to have in Brooklyn's new campaign.
Transition continues for Russell
When Russell entered the NBA, he was a point guard. However, that changed in the 2016-17 season, when the Lakers placed him at the shooting guard position. The change was beneficial for the 21-year-old as he thrived and showed flashes of greatness. Now, he will continue to embrace the role with the Nets.
If Russell succeeds in holding on to the starting job, he will be the backcourt partner of point guard Jeremy Lin, who is a former Laker as well. There are big expectations for the duo seen as the hope of the struggling Brooklyn franchise.
Crabbe injures ankle
The Nets experienced a scare Wednesday when Crabbe "rolled" his left ankle during practice.
There is good news as it appears that the 25-year-old did not suffer any serious injury (sprain). According to reports, the result of the X-ray was negative. Despite this, the team will likely let him sit out the next practice sessions to prevent the ankle from being aggravated.
At this point, it is uncertain how long Crabbe will spend on the sidelines. The Nets' preseason opens on October 3 versus the New York Knicks.
