Nik Stauskas (leg) joins long list of injured Sixers

Nik Stauskas said he definitely will be back for the start of the regular season - if not sooner.

But the announcement Monday that the 76ers shooting guard will be sidelined two weeks with a right tibia stress reaction is a huge setback for his bonding on the court with teammates. The move has been called "precautionary," but Stauskas joins an already long list of Sixers who are out with injuries.

Center Joel Embiid (broken right foot) will miss his second straight season. Point guards Tony Wroten (partially torn right anterior cruciate) and Kendall Marshall (torn ACL) are out until at least the end of the month with right knee injuries. Power forward Carl Landry (right wrist) won't see the floor for at least four weeks. Two more point guards, Pierre Jackson (groin) and T.J. McConnell (left foot sprain) were held out of a scrimmage Monday and will miss the preseason opener Tuesday against the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center.

Stauskas' lower leg started bothering him Thursday during a training camp session at Stockton University. He hasn't scrimmaged since.

"I couldn't even remember getting hit," Stauskas said. "I couldn't remember a specific play. It was just like throughout the day, throughout running all the drills, it just progressively got worse and the trainers pulled me out of practice. We checked it out and decided it was best for me to get some rest."

Sixers coach Brett Brown said Stauskas' busy summer may have contributed to the injury.

The 6-foot-6, 205-pounder played for Team Canada in the FIBA Americas Championships. Stauskas averaged 12.3 points through nine games in the tournament last month.

"You learn this over your years with those players that play international FIBA basketball: The Tournament of Americas . . . is a grind," Brown said. "That's a real tournament. And so maybe some of it is a result of that. But we will be very sort of cautious and move him slowly."

While Stauskas is sidelined, Brown wants him to study game tape of himself and players like San Antonio shooting guard Manu Ginobili. The goal is to study how to create space in pick-and-rolls and read weakside rotations.

"I can still be engaged." Stauskas said. "I can spend a lot of time with my strength coach [Todd Wright] working with my body. And I'm just going to continue getting better every day and maintain a positive mind-set."

He obviously is disappointed that he cannot play. Like Brown, Stauskas believes his busy summer probably led to the injury.

"But I feel comfortable with where I am at," he said. "I played a lot of basketball this summer. So I feel like I have my rhythm back. I'm in game shape.

"Obviously this is a little bit of a setback, but I'm not too worried about it."

Power forward Richaun Holmes (ankle) returned to practice and may see action against the Wizards. JaKarr Sampson will start in place of Stauskas, whom the Sixers acquired in a July trade with the Sacramento Kings.

Nerlens Noel had a sore hip at practice, but the minor injury won't prevent him from playing Tuesday.

kpompey@phillynews.com

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