Tag: nic claxton

Nets’ Nic Claxton ranks 82nd on HoopsHype’s top-100 NBA players list

Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton ranks as the 82nd-best player in the NBA thus season, according to a top-100 ranking by HoopsHype.

The Brooklyn Nets are coming off a 2023-24 season where they finished with a disappointing 32-50 record despite beginning the year with an aspiring 13-10 start against some tough competition out of the gate. Despite Brooklyn finishing with its underwhelming record, their most important free-agent still ranks pretty well when compared to his peers.

HoopsHype recently wrote its top-100 NBA players list following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season with the Boston Celtics defeating the Dallas Mavericks to win their 18th championship in franchise history. On that list, Nets center Nic Claxton ranked 82nd, in front of Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga and behind New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby.

It’s easy to see why Claxton ranks as high as he does given that he averaged 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 62.9% from the field and 55.1% from the free-throw line. Per NBA.com, Claxton was one of just four players to average 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game this season.

The other three players are Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, and Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert. It should also be noted that Claxton provided those kind of stats while making just $9.6 million this season (164th).

According to HoopsHype, Claxton did not gain or lose ground in the player rankings after his performance this season as he was ranked as the 82nd-best player in the NBA heading into this season.

Here’s what HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina had to say about Claxton’s ranking on this list:

“Claxton is another player heading into unrestricted free agency whose future with his current team is up in the air. Wherever he does end up, that team will be acquiring a solid nightly double-double threat with some serious athleticism.”

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ESPN lists several 2024 NBA free agency targets for OKC Thunder

ESPN lists several 2024 NBA free agency targets for Thunder.

Entering the 2024 offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder have most of their rotation ready for next season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams round out one of the best trios.

It’ll be a quiet offseason as there isn’t a single notable player the Thunder have to sign to a deal this offseason. Josh Giddey, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe are all eligible for extensions, but nothing urgent needs to happen.

The Thunder enter the offseason with $35 million in cap space and a treasure trove of draft capital. If they wanted to, they could have some major roster shakeups.

Here’s who ESPN’s Bobby Marks, a former front-office executive in the NBA, sees as plausible targets for the Thunder:

“Derrick Jones Jr., Nicolas Claxton, Isaiah Hartenstein, Klay Thompson, Goga Bitadze, Naji Marshall, Patrick Williams, Haywood Highsmith, Daniel Theis, Gary Harris, Sam Hauser, Precious Achiuwa and Alec Burks.”

All of these options are either athletic bigs who can help OKC’s size and rebounding woes or outside shooters who give it extra options to kick out to in its drive-heavy offense.

Some are more realistic than others, but that’s a sound strategy to follow for the Thunder. They don’t need to be a major bettor but could benefit from shoring up their depth chart.

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Should the Nets pay whatever it takes to re-sign Nic Claxton?

Should the Brooklyn Nets pay whatever it takes to re-sign center Nic Claxton? Nets Wire breaks down what could happen if Claxton walks.

The Brooklyn Nets are spending this offseason looking to improve the team in any way possible so that they can have a better chance of making the playoffs next season. One of the most important tasks that Brooklyn has to achieve this summer is re-signing unrestricted free-agent Nic Claxton because of the unique circumstance between the two parties.

By all indications, it seems that the Nets and Claxton have a mutual interest in continuing their relationship given how much Claxton has grown with the franchise. However, there are some who feel that Brooklyn should do what it can to bring Claxton back to the organization, even if it means that they pay him more than he would get from other teams.

Multiple reports have suggested that Claxton’s next contract is going to be somewhere between $20 million and $25 million, similar to New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.

It’s easy to see why as Claxton would be Brooklyn’s best option at center heading into next season given that Day’Ron Sharpe is the only other player listed at center on the team. Granted, the Nets have been unafraid to playing small ball with players like Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Trendon Watford playing at center when Claxton was on the bench.

If Claxton leaves in free-agency, which he could do even if Brooklyn is willing to pay him the money that he wants, the Nets would have to find a way to get other quality centers on the roster to make up for his departure.

As many Nets fans know, Brooklyn does not have any picks in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft and while that could change with less than two weeks until the event, it’s better to operate as if the Nets will not be able to replace Claxton with a center from this draft.

Brooklyn does not have much cap space to work with this offseason even if Claxton walks and even if they did, the center pool in this free-agency class is lackluster to say the least after the first few names. In that event, the Nets have to hope that Claxton comes back to Brooklyn or replacing him could be easier said than done.

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Could the Nets be interested in Jonas Valanciunas if Nic Claxton walks?

The Brooklyn Nets have an important negotiation coming up with center Nic Claxton. If he walks, could Jonas Valanciunas be a viable option?

The Brooklyn Nets have some important matters to address this offseason as they look to add as much talent as possible so that they can make it back to the playoffs next season. The most important matter for Brooklyn is re-signing unrestricted free-agent center Nic Claxton, but what could the Nets do if Claxton leaves for another team?

To be clear, the belief among most in the NBA is that the Nets will be bringing Claxton back to Brooklyn on a new deal ranging somewhere between $20 million and $25 million per year. However, if Claxton walks, Brooklyn has just Day’Ron Sharpe at center and also have no draft picks at the moment to draft another center to pair with Sharpe.

One of the notable centers that are free-agents this summer other than Claxton is New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas. With the Pelicans potentially trying to retool around Zion Williamson along with the possibility of forward Brandon Ingram being traded, it’s plausible that the Pelicans may let Valanciunas walk to allow Williamson to play center.

Valanciunas, 32, is an unrestricted free-agent coming off a 2023-24 season in which he averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 55.9% from the field and 30.8% from three-point land. Valanciunas has seen his production drop in recent years, but for what he can provide for a team right now, he can still be useful.

Keith Smith of Spotrac notes that the Pelicans have until June 30 to see if Valanciunas fits into their future plans, something that could depend on how much money he wants. Either way, what Valanciunas brings at this point of his career is his ability to score on the inside, rebound, and some limited playmaking from his center spot.

One thing to note is that this may never actually be a topic of discussion for the Nets because Brooklyn can begin negotiating with Claxton the day after the last game of the NBA Finals. With Game 7 of the Finals scheduled for June 23, if the Dallas Mavericks can take the Boston Celtics to seven games, that still gives the Nets one week to negotiate with Claxton before having to ponder other options.

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Report: Nets’ Nic Claxton expected to be pursued by the Pistons

Per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton is expected to be ‘heavily’ pursued by the Detroit Pistons.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of a long offseason in which they have to figure out the right moves to make for next season. As Brooklyn seeks to re-sign unrestricted free-agent center Nic Claxton as soon as they’re able to, there is another team expected to compete for Claxton’s services this summer.

Per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic on Wednesday, Claxton is expected to be one of the main players that the Detroit Pistons pursue in free-agency due to the team trying to change their losing ways of the past few seasons. The Pistons are expected to have a lot of cap space this summer and Trajan Langdon, Detroit’s new President of Basketball Operations, is reportedly looking to turn the team into a winner sooner than later.

“Claxton would address the rim protection woes,” Edwards wrote. Despite the expectation of the Pistons going after Claxton this offseason, one has to wonder how likely that is given that Detroit has Jalen Duren at center and has been pretty good for the franchise ever since he came to the team as the 13th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Be that as it may, Claxton is arguably the best free-agent center available this summer with his main competition being the New York Knicks’ Isaiah Hartenstein and the New Orleans Pelicans’ Jonas Valanciunas. For those wondering if this means that Claxton will be playing elsewhere, remember that the expectation among many in NBA circles is that he is more likely to re-sign with the Nets than he is to leave in free-agency.

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How similar is Nets’ Nic Claxton to 2024 NBA Draft prospect Alex Sarr?

Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton’s perimeter defense is being compared to 2024 NBA Draft prospect Alex Sarr by Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the middle of an offseason in which they have plenty of matters to consider as they look to improve the team enough heading into next season. While Brooklyn does not have a pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA Draft, there is a player in the draft that is being compared to a current player on the roster.

The Nets’ main task this summer is to re-sign center Nic Claxton, who is an unrestricted free-agent after two seasons of impressive play. As Brooklyn moves forward in their pursuit of bringing Claxton back, there is a player who could be selected with the first overall pick that has some similarities to Claxton.

“He’s a switching big. A bit on the leaner side so he’s not going to defend those big beefy centers like a (Nikola) Jokic or (Joel) Embiid, but he can switch onto the perimeter Nic Claxton style if you’re familiar with him with the Brooklyn Nets. Can blitz (and) hedge in pick-and-rolls,” Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer said of French center Alex Sarr in his most recent mock draft.

Nets fans are familiar with Claxton’s ability to defend on the perimeter and most of the NBA has marveled at the way he is able to hold his own when switching onto guards and forwards. Sarr has the expectation of a player that could be an All-Star in the NBA and that’s why he’s regarded as one of the few players that could be the first player selected.

This comparison by O’Connor is interesting because not only does it indicate one of the ways that Sarr can contribute to a team, but also how versatile Claxton is as a defender. That is something for the Nets to remember as they approached their negotiations with Claxton while also keeping in mind that other teams are interested in his services as well.

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Report: Nets’ Nic Claxton new deal could be similar to Jakob Poeltl’s

Per Brian Lewis of the New York Post, NBA executives believe that Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton’s new deal will start at $19.5 million.

The Brooklyn Nets have an important offseason ahead of them as they look to make enough improvements to get back to the playoffs next season. What is arguably their most important task is re-signing unrestricted free-agent center Nic Claxton and as the summer progresses, more light is being shown on Claxton’s new contract.

Brian Lewis of the New York Post reported on Saturday that several NBA executives that spoke to The Post believe that Claxton’s new deal will be at least $20 million annually. While that has been reported by various people, including Lewis, over the course of this year, some of the details that Lewis reported in his article are worth pointing out.

“The Post spoke with multiple league executives about how much Claxton could command, with one suggesting he will get $20 million annually and another pointing toward a Jakob Poeltl contract (four years, $78 million) as an absolute minimum,” Lewis wrote. Poeltl, currently the starting center for the Toronto Raptors, signed his current deal in July of 2023.

Based off this reporting by Lewis, it seems that most around the league believe that Claxton will be getting paid this offseason and the figure could be somewhere between $20 million and $25 million per season. At this point, it’s only a matter of if the Nets are willing to pay him that money so that they can bring him back to Brooklyn.

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Report: Nets’ Nic Claxton should get similar money to Isaiah Hartenstein

Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton should get similar money to New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein.

The Brooklyn Nets have an important decision to make in free-agency as they have to do what they can to re-sign unrestricted free-agent center Nic Claxton. While Brooklyn is expected to bring Claxton back to the franchise that drafted him with the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, there is more reporting on what kind of money he will be looking at this summer.

Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo! Sports, Claxton is “likely command a similar dollar figure to Hartenstein’s expected range, sources said, although NBA personnel have long prepared for the Nets’ switchable center to remain with Brooklyn.” Earlier in his article, which is primarily about New York Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein, Fischer wrote what Hartenstein could be commanding in the free-agency this offseason.

“league executives and cap strategists are projecting Hartenstein will be able to draw at least $80 million, and perhaps upward of $100 million, from a team hoping to steal Hartenstein from Madison Square Garden,” Fischer wrote. Essentially, Claxton, like Hartenstein, is expected to command somewhere between $20 million and $25 million in terms of average annual value (AAV).

This report by Fischer tracks with what has been reported over the course of the 2023-24 season when it comes to what the Nets may have to pay to bring Claxton back to Brooklyn. As has been written by Nets Wire earlier this season, if Claxton gets the kind of money that he’s reportedly expected to command, he would find himself among some of the better centers in the NBA.

There are five centers who are making somewhere between $20 million and $24 million in terms of AAV and the player with the most AAV in that range is Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez. If Claxton were to earn a contract paying him $25 million in AAV, he would rank ninth amongst centers, just behind Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo ($32.6 million AAV).

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HoopsHype: OKC Thunder could be in market for veteran center

HoopsHype: OKC Thunder could be in market for veteran center.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will enter the offseason with $35 million in cap space to toy with. It’s an unprecedented situation as the youngest first seed in league history will have ample opportunities to upgrade its roster.

An area of weakness is the backup big spot. Outside of Chet Holmgrem, OKC doesn’t have a traditional center on its roster for next season. Because of this, the Thunder are viewed as a contender to sign several established centers this offseason.

According to HoopsHype NBA insider Michael Scotto, the Thunder could be in the market for marquee names at the backup center spot who could pair with Holmgren.

“Rival executives are monitoring the Thunder as a potential team in the free-agent center market this summer, with several names available, such as Nic Claxton – who can potentially command over $20 million on the market, as noted by HoopsHype – Isaiah Hartenstein and Jonas Valanciunas, who’s not expected to return to New Orleans, as previously reported by HoopsHype.”

All three are interesting names. Claxton can be an athletic lob threat for the Thunder. He was discussed as a potential trade option during the trade deadline.

Valanciunas is a rebounding machine and can fix OKC’s woes on the boards almost by himself. He might be a problem in the playoffs, but there’s value in his regular-season performance.

Hartenstein will likely command a large payday after a breakout season with the New York Knicks. Odds are, his current squad would like to keep his services. If not, several teams would be interested in him as their starting center — something OKC can’t provide.

All three players are attractive pieces that can improve the Thunder’s roster on paper. Considering the salary they’ll command, they’re likely not options for OKC.

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Report: Nets’ Nic Claxton could receive interest from the Thunder

Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, NBA executives believe that Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton will receive interest from the OKC Thunder.

The Brooklyn Nets are one of the teams in the NBA that have to make the right moves this offseason if they are going to make the playoffs next season. Their most important free-agent this summer is unrestricted free-agent center Nic Claxton, someone who could have some suitors bidding for his services.

While Claxton is likely to come back to Brooklyn with a new deal beginning at $20 million per season, there are other teams that will be looking for a center to make the middle. In a recent article by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to be one of the teams that could be vying for Claxton’s talents.

“Rival executives are monitoring the Thunder as a potential team in the free-agent center market this summer, with several names available, such as Nic Claxton – who can potentially command over $20 million on the market,” Scotto wrote on Tuesday in his aggregate of the 2024 NBA Draft based on what HoopsHype has learned from conversations with NBA executives and scouts.

Claxton, 25, is coming off a 2023-24 season in which he averaged 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 62.9% from the field and 55.1% from the free-throw line. While Claxton had a similar statistical season compared to his performance in 2022-23, he did not receive any votes for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Despite this snub, Claxton is still expected to command somewhere between $20 million and $25 million per year with his next contract, per Scotto. Ultimately, the Nets will have to add the Thunder to the list of teams that will be trying to pluck Claxton away from Brooklyn this summer.

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