Snakebitten by injuries, Nets provide several updates

The banged-up Nets, who have seven players listed as out for Saturday’s matchup with Houston, provided updates on a handful of their injured regulars on Friday, as Michael Scotto of HoopsHype relays.

Guard Cam Thomas, who has been unavailable since Jan. 2 due to a left hamstring strain, is expected to make his return shortly after February’s All-Star break, per the Nets. Big man Noah Clowney will also likely remain on the shelf through the All-Star break after being diagnosed with a left ankle sprain.

Forward Cameron Johnson, meanwhile, is still day-to-day with the right ankle sprain that has cost him the past four games. He won’t play on Saturday.

The injury news in Brooklyn isn’t all bad. After leaving Wednesday’s game with left hamstring tightness, center Day’Ron Sharpe isn’t on the injury report for Saturday. Neither is forward Trendon Watford, who made his return on Wednesday after missing 21 consecutive contests while recovering from a left hamstring strain.

“It was good,” Watford said of his first game back, via Brian Lewis of The New York Post. “I’m just glad to be back out there with the guys, back playing basketball. Missing 21 games, I’ve been missing it ever since I left the game in Cleveland. It was great to be back.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

• Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley will be active on Friday against the Bulls after missing eight games due to a right hip strain, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. It was the third extended injury absence of 2024-25 for Quickley, who is appearing in just his 10th game of the season and will be on a minutes restriction against Chicago, Lewenberg adds.
• Bulls wing Torrey Craig will be inactive for a 15th consecutive game on Friday due to a right ankle sprain, but he appears to be nearing a return — he participated in shootaround Friday, per head coach Billy Donovan, via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
• Timberwolves forward Julius Randle will miss his first game of the season on Saturday, having been ruled out against Washington due to a right groin strain, according to the team. However, Minnesota did pass along more positive injury news, announcing that rookie Terrence Shannon has been cleared for full-contact five-on-five activities and is being listed as questionable to play on Saturday. Shannon, who suffered a right mid-foot sprain while on a G League assignment, last saw the court for the NBA club on Dec. 23.
• According to Lakers head coach J.J. Redick, the team isn’t expecting an extended absence for Anthony Davis, who was ruled out for at least a week due to an abdominal strain. Redick is hopeful Davis will be back in action at some point next week, per Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.