Powell (knee) will be available to play in Friday's preseason game against the Suns, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.
After missing the entire Las Vegas Summer League and parts of training camp, Powell is ready to return from left knee tendinopathy and get his first taste of NBA game action. The Nets may have restrictions in place for the rookie first-rounder Friday, and Powell has several players to overcome on the depth chart if he wants to make his way into Brooklyn's Opening Night rotation.
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Nets' Drake Powell: Won't play Saturday
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Powell (knee) will not play in Saturday's preseason game against Hapoel Jerusalem, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Powell was able to participate in some contact drills at the end of September, but he's not yet ready to return. According to Slater, Powell will likely make his preseason debut next weekend against the Suns on Oct. 10 or Oct. 12.
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Nets' Drake Powell: Participating in contact drills
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Powell (knee) is taking part in contact portions of practice, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.
Powell has been limited by left knee tendinopathy since the Las Vegas Summer League, and his status remains uncertain for the start of the preseason. He still has plenty of time if he wants to be ready for Opening Night, though the Nets are likely to exercise caution with the 2025 first-rounder. Until Powell is cleared to take the floor, the likes of Terance Mann, Ziaire Williams and Jalen Wilson should see more playing time.
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Nets' Drake Powell: Dealing with knee issue
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Nets general manager Sean Marks said Tuesday that Powell has been limited by left knee tendinopathy since the Summer League, Sharif Phillips-Keaton of USA Today reports.
Powell was selected by the Nets with the No. 22 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but he missed the entire Summer League with a knee issue. Marks said the hope is that Powell will return at some point during the preseason, but it's clear the team will take a cautious approach early on.
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Nets' Drake Powell: Selected by Nets
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Powell was selected by the Nets with the No. 22 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The pick was technically made by the Hawks, but a trade that will be finalized later sends the UNC product to Brooklyn. Powell is an elite athlete and high-motor player who averaged just 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 25.6 minutes per game as a true freshman at North Carolina. He primarily played off the ball with UNC and shot 37.9 percent from three-point range. Powell's athleticism helps him get downhill, where he showed an ability to finish through contact. He'll need plenty of refinement, but his athleticism should immediately translate to the NBA game. What Brooklyn does with restricted free agents Cam Thomas (hamstring) and Ziaire Williams (knee) will make Powell's role as a rookie clearer.
