Some subcritical estimates for the $\ell^p$-improving problem for discrete curves

We apply Christ's method of refinements to the $\ell^p$-improving problem for discrete averages $\mathcal{A}_N$ along polynomial curves in $\mathbb{Z}^d$. Combined with certain elementary estimates for the number of solutions to certain special systems of diophantine equations, we obtain some restricted weak-type $p \to p'$ estimates for the averages $\mathcal{A}_N$ in the subcritical regime. The dependence on $N$ of the constants here obtained is sharp, except maybe for an $\epsilon$-loss.