EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - The New Jersey Nets will be without center and leading scorer Brook Lopez for a couple of months because of a broken right foot.

Lopez, who did not miss a game in his first three seasons, was injured during an exhibition game against the Knicks on Wednesday and was set to have surgery on Friday.

The injury is a stress fracture to the slow-healing fifth metatarsal, the same kind of injury that New York Giants first-round draft pick Prince Amukamara suffered on Aug. 6 in training camp. He did not play in a game until Nov. 20.

"I had a long talk with Brook last night," coach Avery Johnson said. "He is not in great spirits, but we tried to lift his spirits to let him know that, hey, this is a little bit of a setback but he could definitely have a big-time comeback. Hopefully, once we get through with the surgery and get back to rehabbing and he can heal up and we can get him back at some point this season."

Lopez, who averaged 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists last season as the Nets posted a 24-58 record, played in the second half with the injury.

To help fill the void, the Nets acquired Mehmet Okur from the Utah Jazz on Thursday for a second-round draft pick.

"Mehmet will give us added scoring and size," Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement. "His ability to shoot the 3 will help space the floor."

The Nets would not say how long Lopez will be sidelined, but a medical expert said it would be from six to 12 weeks, though it has the potential of being longer, depending on the degree of the stress fracture.

Dr. Victor Khabie, the chief of the department of surgery and sports medicine at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y., told The Associated Press the problem with injuries to the fifth metatarsal is that the blood supply to that area is poor, which prevents doctors from simply putting the foot in a cast.

"For that reason and especially with an athlete, you want to get back as soon as possible, we end up doing surgery, which is inserting a metal screw into the bone to compress the bone together," Khabie said. "The act of inserting the screw also stimulates blood flow to the area."

Associated Press