Nets head coach Steve Nash said Thursday that Carter has cleared the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic reports.
In addition to Carter, James Harden and Paul Millsap were cleared to end their quarantines and rejoin Brooklyn, but Nash said that rookies Cam Thomas, Kessler Edwards and David Duke have all entered the protocols. As a result, Brooklyn is still without the league-required eight available players, which prompted the postponement of Thursday's game against the Trail Blazers one day earlier. Assuming Brooklyn is able to clear at least two more players in the next two days, Carter and the Nets will return to action Christmas Day against the Lakers. It's unclear how Carter looks from a conditioning standpoint after missing the team's past three games, but the Nets may not have the luxury of easing him back in with a light minutes load Saturday.