Caris LeVert’s knee ‘feels as good as it’s felt in a long time’
Caris LeVert sat out Sunday’s preseason game against the Washington Wizards due to a left knee contusion, leaving Steve Nash with an easy decision to start Spencer Dinwiddie as Brooklyn’s second guard alongside Kyrie Irving. But now Nash has to make a decision for Friday’s game on the road against the Boston Celtics — assuming LeVert’s knee continues to trend in the right direction.
“Caris is great,” Nash said on Monday. “He said his knee feels as good as it’s felt in a long time. We’re gonna probably scrimmage [Tuesday] and he’ll play, so really positive news for Caris.”
Nash has expressed LeVert could take on a super-sixth man role, akin to what Manu Ginobli did for the San Antonio Spurs. But now it sounds like Brooklyn’s starting five could be a bit more fluid than initially expected.
“I have a suspicion this is going to be a continually evolving season where injuries, COVID, the density of the schedule will present all types of opportunities, but not necessarily by design,” Nash said. “I don’t think it’s going to be like, we’ll start Joe [Harris] for five games, then Spencer for five games, then Caris for five. I think it’s a scenario where we’re going to figure it out as we go.
“We have to be adaptable, and having that versatility and not necessarily having to make hard stances or make a situation into a truth that doesn’t need to be one or the other. That’s the way I’m thinking about it: Let’s not get in a race to cement any roles or ideas, because this is not the season where it’s going to be like that.”
The Nets and Celtics are scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m. on Friday.
