If the end of Sunday’s Nets practice was any indication, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is ready and raring to go.

The Nets forward has been sidelined for most of the preseason after suffering a strained adductor muscle while playing in Jeremy Lin’s charity game in China on Aug. 4. But he went through a full scrimmage for the first time Thursday and is “trending in the right direction” ahead of Wednesday’s regular-season opener against the Pistons, according to coach Kenny Atkinson.

“We are going to be smart about bringing him back,” Atkinson said Sunday. “I’ll definitely listen to the medical team and the performance team. We can’t play him 40 minutes that first night, obviously.”

Hollis-Jefferson spent extra time after practice Sunday working in one-on-one drills against his teammates in the post, hitting the floor multiple times while working to get his shot or playing defense. He worked up a good sweat as he tries to get back to full speed without the benefit of playing in any preseason games.

“It’s just all with time,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “Whenever they get the green light and I feel I can give the green light, we’re good.”

Looking to build off a season in which he averaged 13.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, Hollis-Jefferson knows he has to be careful in his comeback.

“Because I play so energetic and all over the place, it’s definitely good to be in control, to understand how you play and get that natural feel back,” he said.

The Nets will need Hollis-Jefferson healthy and effective this season if they plan on making any kind of noise in the Eastern Conference. Atkinson has called him the Nets’ best defensive player — “I’m going to call myself that too,” Hollis-Jefferson quipped — and he will be key for a team that gave up the third-most points (110.3 per game) in the NBA last season.

Hollis-Jefferson is the longest-tenured Net, so missing the preseason may not set him back as much as it could have for less-experienced players on the roster. The fourth-year pro felt he was still able to learn while sitting on the bench.

“To be able to observe from a coach’s and a player’s position has helped me a lot, just to see how they view the game,” he said. “When the players come out for timeouts, seeing how they view the game and what they see out there, it’s extremely beneficial for when I get back out there.”

As for the trip to China, Hollis-Jefferson called it a “beautiful experience,” even though it came with the injury. He said he was happy to help Lin raise money for his charity and see Asia for the first time.

“I look at it like life gives you lemons sometimes, so you just gotta make the best lemonade with that and understand it’s a part of life,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “Coming back from China, my mindset was just to lock in and get better each day, every step. Listen to the training staff, coaching staff and just make the best of it.”

While Hollis-Jefferson is getting back to 100 percent, the Nets have a number of forwards to eat up those minutes. They were the ones making Sunday’s post-practice drills feisty, with Kenneth Faried and Rodions Kurucs among those in the mix.

“I feel like it’s a competitive group,” Hollis-Jefferson said. “Every practice, every time we compete, it’s extremely energetic. That’s what it’s about at the end of the day. We’re making each other better. We’re getting after it. Ultimately it will show on the court at the end of the day.”