The Nets didn’t have the results of Dzanan Musa’s MRI exam, but they were confident the first-round pick had avoided any catastrophic injury and will be ready for training camp. Considering earlier reports, it’s beyond best-case scenario.
Musa got hurt in the final minute of Bosnia’s loss to the Czech Republic in FIBA World Cup qualifying. Bosnian media reported Musa had suffered a right Achilles injury, which could have been a severe long-term injury. But Nets sources say it’s just an ankle injury and likely not a bad one.
The Musa scare came after forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson suffered a left adductor strain playing in Jeremy Lin’s charity game in Shenzhen, China, last month — but both are expected to be ready for training camp, which opens next Tuesday.
“Dzanan is currently getting an MRI. It’s to be determined. It’s not as serious as was posted out there, thankfully. All is well there,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. “Both will be cleared and integrated into training camp.”
Musa tweeted both Sunday night then again after arriving in New York from Sarajevo on Monday that he’ll be fine for camp.
The Nets can sign D’Angelo Russell to a rookie scale extension before the Oct. 15 deadline, but don’t seem to have any plans to do so.
“If I was to say right now, I’d probably say we’ll let it ride out. But things change in this business pretty quickly, so we’ll adjust as we go,” said Marks.
“We’ve got several guys that could be up for extension. We’ve had conversations with them and their agents, they know where they stand. I think this year will breed a competitive environment for everybody out here. We’ll see how it falls.”
Marks confirmed Theo Pinson as one of the Nets’ pair of two-way players. Nuni Omot is a strong candidate for the final training camp spot, a source told The Post. The 6-foot-9 Baylor product hit 43.3 percent from 3-point range last season, fifth in the Big 12, and a league-best 48.1 percent in league play.
J.R. Smith stirred the pot by replying “high” to a social media question about Kyrie Irving signing with the Knicks. But Isiah Thomas added some Nets flavor when he said he thought Brooklyn will have a real shot to land Irving.
“I believe that,” Thomas said on NBA GameTime. “There’s always the natural pull to go back home, and Kyrie being from that area — the Nets and the Knicks — those two teams will have their shot at him, only because he’s had a healthy respect for the area, people love him in the area and I think he’ll give those organizations the kind of respect that they deserve.
“Now that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to leave Boston. But I do think they’ll be in play, and if they put the right package together and everything falls into place, then they’ve got a chance.”