Ingram looks for fresh start with Raptors; Suns plan to open with healthy Williams; Nets rookie Demin clarifies foot injury timeline
ingram-says-new-chapter-in-toronto-suns-set-to-start-williams-nets-rookie-demin-foot-injury
Raptors
Forward Brandon Ingram said he is “embracing a new chapter” after arriving in Toronto this summer. Speaking with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, the 28-year-old emphasized that he still respects New Orleans, but believed it was “time for a change.”
“This team can be whatever we want it to be. We have everything on the defensive end,” Ingram said. “The next thing is execution over and over again on the offensive end. The East is wide open, and we have to expedite it.”
Ingram averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists and 5.1 rebounds for the Pelicans last season before being traded to the Raptors in July.
Suns
Center Mark Williams appears set to start when Phoenix begins its season Wednesday, head coach Jordan Ott told reporters, including Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “This was the most minutes he’s seen in a scrimmage we’ve played,” Ott said. “You can see his size on both ends—offensively he puts pressure on the rim, and defensively he makes people think twice.”
Williams has missed 140 of a possible 246 games since entering the league but stayed on a cautious preseason schedule. Phoenix expects to rotate Oso Ighodaro, Nick Richards and rookie Khaman Maluach behind the 7-footer. “On a night-to-night basis we’ll have a plan,” Ott added. “But we have to be flexible and read the games to see who’s impacting winning.”
Nets
Brooklyn’s No. 8 overall pick Egor Demin said the plantar fascia tear he is managing actually occurred before June’s draft, not during Summer League. The 19-year-old Russian guard/forward told Brian Lewis of the New York Post that the injury “just got worse over time,” but he does not expect to need surgery.
Demin made his preseason debut Thursday, posting 14 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes against Toronto. “He was excellent,” head coach Jordi Fernández said. “He’s composed, he talks to his teammates, and he made it look easy.” The Nets plan to monitor his foot throughout the season.
Source: Hoops Wire
