Brooklyn Nets Injury Report: Latest update on Dennis Smith Jr.'s return and Dariq Whitehead's availability

The Brooklyn Nets tip off the regular season at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. After a sixth-place finish in the East and a first-round playoff sweep to the Philadelphia 76ers last season, the Nets want to take a step forward in the postseason.

In their season opener, Brooklyn could have a couple of players unavailable as Dennis Smith Jr. and Dariq Whitehead could miss the game due to injuries.

Smith Jr. has been out since Oct. 12, when he injured his left ankle, but he is on track to return to the lineup. He was available for a part of Sunday's practice, and the team is listing him as day-to-day heading into the first game of the season, via ESPN.

Similarly, Whitehead, whom the Nets picked in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft, has not fully recovered from foot surgery. He is expected to start working five-on-five, and just like Smith, he is listed as day-to-day.

At the moment, it appears that Dennis Smith Jr. has a better chance of being available for Wednesday's season opener. The rest of the roster should be good to go for the clash with fellow playoff contender Cleveland.

Brooklyn Nets coach names accountability and chemistry as main goals this season

After finishing sixth last season, the Brooklyn Nets are aiming for a step forward this year and a deep playoff run. However, it looks like the franchise doesn't want to set the bar that high so early in the season.

Thus, the Nets view playoff qualification as their target for the season, and coach Jacque Vaughn has named accountability and chemistry as the main goals in the season.

"I think the biggest thing for me was kind of, I talked about it, reestablishing who we were as a team, as a franchise, creating standards and accountability among the group," Vaughn told media on Monday, via the New York Post.

"I’m pretty pleased at that, because at the end of the day, I want those guys to hold each other accountable. They spend more time together than with me. And the standard is a standard. It’s not different standards or no standard. And so, those are the things that I was really stressed upon from the time they came back."

The Brooklyn Nets are optimistic about Ben Simmons playing at an All-Star level this season after a couple of years dealing with a back injury. At the same time, they will rely a lot on Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Spencer Dinwiddie to make the difference on both ends.

Brooklyn's roster doesn't include a megastar, but there is a plethora of great players available. Should they stay healthy, they should be among the favorites for a playoff spot in the East.