It’s no secret Brooklyn has a pivot problem.
The Nets have started three different centers — the departed Jarrett Allen, aging DeAndre Jordan and undersized Jeff Green. Now add Norvel Pelle to the mix.
Pelle hasn’t started, but he did make his Nets debut Saturday at Philadelphia, for whom he played last season. And he announced his presence with authority, fouling out in just 17:13. But he made his impact on the game, and impression on Steve Nash.
After checking in to start the second quarter, he picked up an offensive foul in just 17 seconds. Then he got his first block only 11 seconds later.
Pelle finished with two points, five rebounds — a team-high-tying three offensive — and a game-high three blocks. Oh, and his team-high plus-2 coming in his first action since Aug. 23 spoke to how well he played and how desperate the Nets’ need for rim protection is.
Jordan was forced from the game in the third quarter after Tyler Johnson fell into his leg. Pelle fouled out with 3:50 left to play, with 6-foot-7, 220-pound small forward Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot forced into playing center the rest of the way.
“I think DJ’s OK, I’m not positive,” Nash said. “And Norvel was great. He’s out of shape a little bit for NBA standards; you could see him out there. I was proud of him for fighting through, trying to get his legs and his lungs going.
“He obviously has some instincts blocking shots, which is, I think, his reputation and why we looked at him. I was proud of the way he conducted himself and worked hard. He showed that he can block some shots.”
Pelle’s 4.8 blocks/36 minutes would’ve led the NBA by a wide margin if he’d played enough to qualify, and his 8.5 fouls/36 minutes would’ve been third.
The Nets have been looking to add bigs since trading Allen. They’ve been linked with Cavs big men Kevin Love, JaVale McGee and Andre Drummond.
Drummond is reportedly being shopped, and the Nets have held onto both the disabled player exception and mid-level exception. Trading for Drummond would almost certainly require including Jordan or Spencer Dinwiddie, and both seem unlikely. Brooklyn will watch to see if Drummond gets bought out, something ESPN has reported he could be more amenable to if the Cavs can’t find a taker before the March 25 trade deadline.
After Kyrie Irving suffered a right index finger sprain Friday vs. Toronto, he sat out Saturday vs. the 76ers. The Nets hope he can return Tuesday in Detroit.
“Ky’s day-to-day. I don’t have much more than that. I’d expect him Tuesday, but I can’t commit to that. I think he’s day-to-day,” Nash said. The Nets host the Pacers on Wednesday. “We’ll see how it responds; but hopefully it’s day-to-day and we’ll see him back in action on Tuesday.”
Irving got raked across the hand by Toronto’s Fred VanVleet with 1:07 left in the first quarter Friday. He came up shaking his hand and flexing his finger.
“This one with Ky is not any load management,” Nash said. “He genuinely has a swollen finger and he took a knock to it.”