Last fall, Kyrie Irving stood up in front of his Boston Celtics teammates, the front office and thousands of fans to tell them that he was planning to re-sign with the team when he became a free agent. Instead, when this summer arrived, after a tumultuous season in Boston for both Irving and the team, he took his talents to their divisional rival, the Brooklyn Nets. 

Unfortunately for Irving, his first season with the team got off to a tough start on Tuesday, when he caught a stray elbow during a pickup game. According to the Nets, he’s been diagnosed with a facial fracture, and is listed as day-to-day. 

The good news for the Nets is that the injury doesn’t seem too serious, and Irving shouldn’t miss any significant period of time. Still, you never want your best player dealing with a broken face a few days before training camp is about to begin. That’s not a good way to get the season started. 

However, even if Irving has to miss a few days of practice, the signing is already paying dividends for the team. During a press conference on Tuesday, which was already scheduled before the incident, Nets GM Sean Marks praised Irving’s professionalism and commitment to the team, saying the “leadership, the work ethic and the competitive nature that he has brought to the group has been terrific.”

The Nets will start training camp on Sept. 28, a few days earlier than most teams due to their preseason trip to China. They’ll be playing two preseason games against the Los Angeles Lakers in Shanghai and Shenzhen on Oct. 10 and 12. Assuming no further complications, Irving should be ready to go for those contests.