Egor Demin will make his NBA debut on Friday against the Raptors

Brooklyn Nets Rookie Egor Demin will make his NBA debut on Friday in the preseason finale against the Toronto Raptors. Demin missed the start of the training camp and Brooklyn’s first three preseason games because of a plantar fascia tear. However, he participated in five-on-five matches last week and will play “some minutes” against the Raptors.

“He practiced based on the program we had for him. It was a reinforcement and he was able to play five-on-five, and now he’s ready to see the floor,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez said on Thursday. “So the good news is he’s going to get some minutes (Friday). And that’s exciting. I’m excited for him. He’s done a great job and now we’re ready to take the next step.”

Demin’s foot disease appeared after some time his three appearances in the Summer League at the end of July. The 19-year-old averaged 11.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 43.5 percent from three in Las Vegas.

How will the Nets use Egor Demin during his rookie campaign?

Expectations are high for Demin as the Nets’ first lottery pick since Derrick Favors in 2010. However, Fernandez doesn’t want the rookie to feel too much pressure during his first NBA appearance.

“He doesn’t have to feel a lot of pressure or anything. I want him to enjoy the first minutes,” said the head coach. “Obviously I’m going to ask him the things I ask everybody else, as far as doing certain things with a purpose and playing really hard and using his superpowers, which is his passing and his shooting and his size. But I don’t want him to overthink it. I don’t want him to try to analyze everything. Just go out there and have fun.”

Friday’s game will be the Nets’ first with all three of their new point guards — Demin, Ben Saraf and Nolan Traore — available. Demin will likely have a minute limit. However, it will be interesting to see how Fernandez utilizes the trio of ball-handling starters.

Demin is expected to start at point guard when he is at full strength. meanwhile, Saraf has outplayed Traore this pre-season and is the favorite to fill the backup role. Given their size, Demin and Saraf could spend the stretch on the wing.

How well the Nets’ trio of rookie players play together — and whether they fit — will be among the team’s top questions this season.

“I don’t have a crystal ball, so I don’t know if I can answer that,” Fernandez said. “What I’m excited about is seeing how the process plays out. Everybody’s going to be fighting for some of the same minutes. Everybody’s going to be fighting for some of the wing minutes. But right now, for sure, the starting point guard and backup point guard (spots), those three are fighting for those minutes. And that’s great because we’re going to see a lot of young NBA minutes in the draft.”