Players the Brooklyn Nets need to trade for after getting Okafor by Kunal Kohli

In an interview with WFAN on Thursday, Brooklyn Nets GM Sean Marks said that fans will have to wait to see D’Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor in action.

In the interview, Sean Marks said that Russell would not be in a Brooklyn Nets uniform for another couple of weeks. The Ohio State product underwent orthopedic back surgery on Nov. 17.

“The plan definitely is to see D’Angelo again. I wouldn’t tell you when exactly but hopefully it’s sooner rather than later. He’s progressing well. He’s five weeks post-op now. I think the timeline was between seven, eight weeks depending on how things go. So we’re still a couple of weeks away.”

-Sean Marks on WFAN

While Russell has been out, the Nets have made moves to help alleviate the situation. One of these moves was trading for Okafor. The big man out of Duke did not play much during his third year with the Philadelphia 76ers. In fact, he wanted out of the City of Brotherly Love.

Okafor got his wish on Dec. 7 when he and Nik Stauskas were sent to Brooklyn in exchange for Trevor Booker. Since then, Okafor has only played one game. He scored 10 points and grabbed four boards in 22 minutes of action in a loss against the Toronto Raptors on Dec. 15.

Throughout the game, it was apparent that he needed to work on his conditioning, which is what the Nets are making him do.

I’d hate to put an exact date on it. Depending on how he feels, we’re going day-to-day. I’d assume he’s still probably a week-and-a-half or two weeks away from where he feels comfortable out there and be able to play at the pace in which coach Kenny [Atkinson] and his staff want to play at.”

-Sean Marks on WFAN

With both out for the time being, the Nets will rely heavily on players like Spencer Dinwiddie and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.