Juancho Hernangomez diagnosed with mono, out indefinitely

Denver Nuggets’ swingman Juancho Hernangomez was diagnosed with mononucleosis and did not board the team’s Tuesday morning flight to Charlotte, the team announced. Hernangomez is out indefinitely and will not join the Nugget for their four-game East Coast road trip where Denver will also visit the Hawks, Nets, and Knicks.

Hernangomez was not active for Denver’s Monday night loss at home to the Washington Wizards. In his place, Richard Jefferson dressed but did not see any minutes. The Nuggets did play second-year shooting guard Malik Beasley seven minutes versus the Wizards but expect Jefferson to log his first minutes in a Denver uniform over the coming week.

“Juancho’s got to get going,” Malone said after Denver’s opening night loss in Utah. “I know he had a very long, arduous summer with the National Team of Spain but right now he doesn’t have the same energy and zap that he had last year.”

Perhaps the diagnosis can explain Hernangomez’s slow start.

Hernangomez, 22, averaged 4.9 points on 45.1 percent shooting from the field and 40.7 percent from three to go with 3.0 rebounds per game last year for Denver. In two games this season, Hernangomez has logged just 13 combined minutes and is scoreless on just 0-1 shooting.