Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving suffered a left-side facial fracture during a workout Tuesday, the team announced Wednesday.
The point guard is listed as day-to-day.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News initially reported Irving was hit by an elbow in practice, which required a trip to the doctor.
Irving had also suffered facial fractures in 2017, requiring him to wear a facemask that he found uncomfortable.
"It's just a piece of plastic on your face," he said, per Jay King of MassLive.com. "It's the difference of having something over your face. It's almost like having somewhat foggy blinders on."
He has a few weeks to spare before facing the possibility of using a mask in 2019-20.
The Nets don't begin their preseason campaign until Oct. 12 against the Los Angeles Lakers.
There are high expectations for Irving this season after he signed a four-year, $141 million max contract with the Nets in July after two years with the Boston Celtics.
The six-time All-Star is coming off a great individual season in which he averaged 23.8 points per game while setting career highs with 6.9 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game. By linking up with Kevin Durant in Brooklyn, he could usher in a new era for the organization that's filled with success and high-profile stars.
However, Durant is still recovering from an Achilles injury, and now Irving is off to a rough start to his preseason.
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