Nets forward Trendon Watford will not play against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena after suffering a left hamstring injury in the first half of Monday’s 130-101 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Watford contributed eight points on 2-for-3 shooting (3-for-3 at the free throw line) before he was ruled out at halftime. Brooklyn announced that he was dealing with left hamstring soreness. The 24-year-old missed the entire preseason and the first 13 games of the regular season because of a left hamstring strain.
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said that Watford will undergo a full evaluation following Thursday’s game to determine the context of his latest injury.
“We will let you guys know a timetable when we know it,” Fernandez told reporters following Wednesday’s practice in Brooklyn. “Not to my knowledge when it happened. I’m pretty sure our medical team knows but it’s being addressed now. So, we’ll have that evaluation.”
Watford is averaging 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists through his first 13 games this season while shooting 44.3% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range. He signed a one-year deal to remain with the Nets in July.
In a 116-115 defeat of the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 19, Watford scored seven straight points in the fourth quarter to assist Brooklyn’s late rally. At the time, it was his second appearance of the season off the bench.
For now, Watford joins Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain), Ziaire Williams (left knee sprain) on the Nets’ injury report. Thursday will mark nine straight games missed for Thomas, and sixth straight for Williams. Fernandez said that Thomas and Williams are both progressing in their rehab, but there is still no timetable for when they will return to the court.
“It’s tough to always start out strong and then have an injury like this,” Thomas said when asked about his injury on Dec. 4. “It’s similar to last year with my ankle, you know, had a great start and then you out for a little bit, then you got to get your rhythm back. But I mean, overall, I feel I had a good start this season so far but definitely want to pick it up and be better when I do come back and get back on the floor.”
Brooklyn fell to 10-16 following Monday’s loss and had dropped three straight and five of six entering Thursday’s game. After its matchup with the Raptors, it will finish December with two home games against the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs, and three road games against the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.
Whether Watford, Thomas or Williams will play in any of those games remains to be seen.