NBA Notes: Nets, Jordi Fernandez, Raptors, RJ Barrett, Bulls

Nets

First-time head coach Jordi Fernandez has been living up to his reputation as someone whose team will at least be in fantastic shape, as relayed in a story from Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets players are already saying as much.

“Probably one of the most unique, and hardest training camps I’ve been through in these 12 years now,” guard Dennis Schroder said, via Lewis. “Like it, though, so far. Everybody’s buying into it. Coach and coaches are doing a great job of keeping us organized and together. It’s been great.”

Forward Dorian Finney-Smith echoed those sentiments.

“We’re going to be well-conditioned,” Finney-Smith said. “The people I talk to around the league, they all had great things to say about him, so I knew what to expect. I heard he was a hard worker and he’d want us to compete. That’s what he’s been asking us.”

The Nets aren’t expected to do much this season, though should they keep all their pieces, some believe they could be in play for at least a play-in spot.

Raptors

• Veteran wing RJ Barrett will miss the remainder of the preseason after suffering a bruised right shoulder in the Raptors’ game against the Wizards. Barrett missed the entire second half after scoring 17 points in 14 minutes. His injury isn’t expected to be anything serious.
• Raptors second-round pick Jamal Shead showed off his defensive skills in a matchup with Wizards rookie guard Bub Carrington, who finished their preseason game by shooting 0-of-6 from the floor and committing three turnovers. Shead was selected with the No. 45 overall draft pick.
• Shead’s strength at that end of the court was relayed in a story from Michael Grange of Sportsnet. “Me and him have a little bit of a history, he got the best of me in a pre-draft workout,” Shead told Grange. “So I had to come out and make it as hard as possible … he’s going to be really good, but I had to give him a taste of NBA-ready defense.”

Bulls

• The Bulls have signed and waived free agent wing Ben Coupet Jr., per the NBA transaction log. Coupet is a native of Chicago and went undrafted out of Southern Illinois in 2022. He is likely headed to the Windy City Bulls of the G League.
• It appears guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Giddey are game-time decisions for the Bulls’ preseason game against the Cavaliers. We have more on Ball here.