Injuries have led to the Nets’ latest roster churn, with Brooklyn waiving first David Nwaba on Thursday and then Henry Ellenson a day later.
Nwaba was lost for the season with an Achilles injury, a damaging blow for an emerging 3-and-D player. Then the Nets waived Ellenson, who was on a two-way deal but essentially out of the rotation.
“(Nwaba) was playing great. Not good, great,” Kenny Atkinson said. “And a guy that bought in, playing to a high level. You just don’t feel great about it.
“Obviously with all our injuries, we need the roster spot. We’re in discussions to see who we bring in. But that roster spot was important. But I have the utmost respect for David. Just can’t wait for him to get healthy and get back to the level he was playing.”
It should be noted that the Nets will lose Nwaba’s rights.
Ellenson was averaging 20.1 points and 10.5 boards for G League Long Island, but had logged just 15 minutes in five NBA games for the Nets. Signed as a potential stretch big, he hadn’t shot well, is slow afoot and was behind Jarrett Allen, DeAndre Jordan and rookie Nic Claxton in the pecking order.
As far as those valuable roster spots Atkinson spoke of, the Nets already have some plans. Able to start signing players to 10-day deals on Sunday, they will add wing Justin Anderson from Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate. The move was first reported by The Athletic and confirmed by The Post on Thursday night.
Anderson — who played alongside Joe Harris at Virginia — averaged 21.2 points and 6.8 boards through 13 G League tilts. He would fill the 15th spot on the full roster.
The Nets also are reportedly interested in signing point guard Chris Chiozza from the Wizards G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, according to The Athletic.
Chiozza is shooting just 32.8 percent from deep and stands just 5-foot-11, not the mold of the long guards the Nets prefer. With no more spots on the 15-man roster, he would appear bound for Ellenson’s vacated two-way.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot — who has impressed the coaches, particularly on defense — eventually could get bumped from his two-way deal to an NBA contract.
“He’s raising eyebrows,” Atkinson said of Luwawu-Cabarrot. “He’s doing everything we ask.”