Tag: Nicolas Claxton

Ranking the Top 10 big men for Team USA if Joel Embiid declines invitation to Paris Olympics in 2024

Anthony Davis is the top option but there are some interesting sleepers, too.

After shockingly failing to medal during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Team USA has lots of questions to answer before the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

One of the reasons why Team USA struggled to even earn a bronze medal was due to a lack of size in the frontcourt. They struggled on the defensive end of the floor and had a massive deficiency when it came to rebounding the ball.

This is a team that will need legitimate big men in order to compete with tough international talent in the post such as Serbia’s Nikola Jokic as well as France’s Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama.

Team USA head coach Steve Kerr was asked about what changes may come before the Olympics and he mentioned that the team needed to have very specific intentions when it came to the types of big men they would target for the roster (via The Athletic):

“I think it’s a worthwhile point of discussion, but the discussion has to go to, ‘OK, then who is that?” […] “You can’t just say, we’re going to have size for size’s sake. You have to have players who are going to help you win, and you have to determine who those guys are. It’s not just the size, it’s the way the game is played. […] But I don’t think it’s as simple as saying it’s just size. I think you have to examine who you’re talking about if you go down that path.”

Of course, the first name that comes to mind is Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. He could join the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, who helped lead Team USA to win a gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta after he became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

The six-time All-Star is an international free agent who is eligible to play for Team Cameroon (after they clinched a spot to compete in the FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament) as well as Team France and Team USA.

Team USA managing director Grant Hill said Embiid “knows our desire” to have him on the team. According to Brian Windhorst, however, it’s too early to assume that the league’s reigning MVP will decide to actually suit up for the Americans at the 2024 Olympics in Paris (via ESPN):

“Team USA has done some recruiting of Joel Embiid, who holds both United States and French citizenship, but the Philadelphia 76ers star has thus far been noncommittal.”

So if Team USA is not able to successfully recruit Embiid, here are the other top options that they could consider:

NBA fans think Kyrie Irving, Nic Claxton took not-so-subtle shots at James Harden

“Last year … it was kind of a toxic environment.”

The Brooklyn Nets were the hottest team in the league, but now that Kevin Durant recently got hurt, they have to find a new identity.

After a 19-4 stretch between Nov. 22 and Jan. 8, the Nets have since lost three games in a row. This three-game losing streak includes ugly home losses against the Thunder and the Spurs.

This is not the first time that Brooklyn has played without Durant, though. Those who were on the roster last year had to make do when the two-time NBA Finals MVP missed time with a sprained MCL.

When asked to compare the two experiences, Nets big man Nic Claxton said that even though they have lost their first few games without Durant, it is far better this time around.

According to Claxton, there is “no divide” between the players on the roster this season.

The big man said that last season, for comparison, was “kind of a toxic environment” because it wasn’t clear if “everybody wanted to be here” or not.

Based on previous reporting, Claxton is likely referring to his former teammate James Harden. Last season before the trade deadline, Harden reportedly called Nets owner Joseph Tsai and general manager Joseph Tsai to express his interest in playing for the 76ers.

Harden was eventually traded to Brooklyn in exchange for Ben Simmons.

Claxton’s comments come just a few days after his teammate Kyrie Irving said that this season, Brooklyn doesn’t have anyone in their locker room who is only “halfway” committed to the team.

After Irving’s comments, many NBA fans assumed that he was also referring to Harden.

Andre Drummond expects to depart from Brooklyn Nets after season

Brooklyn Nets center Andre Drummond views his arrangement with the team as likely being a short-term one ahead of his free agency.

In the trade that brought James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, the team had to part with Jarrett Allen to get a four-team deal to work. The move left a depleted rotation as a result.

When sending Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Nets managed to acquire Andre Drummond, who had carved out a niche backing up Joel Embiid. Since being dealt to the Nets, Drummond has taken over as the starting center, with Nic Claxton coming off the bench.

Before the Nets’ 132-120 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Drummond explained how he’s probably only going to be a member of the Nets for the rest of the season when asked about Nic Claxton.

“And if we’re all being honest, I’m only here til the rest of the season,” Drummond said when discussing Claxton. “So who knows what’s gonna happen in the offseason? So they need a guy like (Nic).”

The landscape for the Nets to keep Drummond does appear to be unfavorable. This offseason, the most Brooklyn can offer Drummond on a new contract is 120 percent of his current $2.4 million salary or just the full taxpayer mid-level exception of around $6 million.

Drummond made it clear the Nets need Claxton since it’s unlikely for him to return. Whether starting or coming off the bench, Drummond sees a lot of value in what Claxton provides.

“I think that we need him,” Drummond said of Claxton. “We need him. I think he’s very, very beneficial for this team. He’s young still, a guy that can come in and help, can start, come off the bench. He can do a little bit of everything. With a guy like that that’s so versatile, why would you trade somebody like that?”

The market will play a significant role in Drummond’s free agency outlook. The 28-year-old indeed will seek a real pay raise after being on a minimum contract, but demand and available spending room also have to be present for an attractive offer to be there.

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Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant’s 37 leads vs. Utah Jazz

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Utah Jazz 114-106. How does the performance for each of their rotation players grade?

The Brooklyn Nets managed to win their second consecutive game by defeating the Utah Jazz with 114-106 being the final score.

Kevin Durant took care of business with a game-high 37 points while also recording nine rebounds and eight assists. He’s now up to averages of 30.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.3 assists on shooting splits that well exceed the illustrious 50-40-90 mark in the month of March.

“I just think we’re rallying around each other,” Durant said. “We’re making big plays, we’re just doing it together more than anything. It’s just a collective effort.”

The Nets held a 108-87 lead in the fourth quarter at one point, but the Jazz managed to rally back using a 19-4 lead to make it a competitive game with 57 seconds remaining in the game. Brooklyn held on to win the game in the end, however.

Brooklyn remained without Kyrie Irving (ineligible) and Ben Simmons (herniated disc) for this game, but still managed to get the job done against one of the better teams in the Western Conference despite that fact.

Here are the player grades after a win over the Jazz:

Brooklyn Nets player grades: Kevin Durant drops 38 on Trail Blazers

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 128-123. How does the performance for each of their rotation players grade?

The Brooklyn Nets bounced back from their Wednesday loss to the Dallas Mavericks with a 128-123 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. After trailing by as many as 18 points, the Nets managed to mount a second-half comeback in this one.

“Halftime, I was a little upset. We didn’t come to play, and we really played one half tonight. We’re just lucky it was enough to win the game,” Nash said.

Things changed in the second half and Kevin Durant’s 38 points overall on the night proved to be a real boost. He managed to overcome another team sending frequent double-teams his way. There were still struggles with turnovers, but overall, he was efficient.

Seth Curry made his return to the lineup after a three-game absence due to an ankle injury. He stepped right in and made a big difference with 27 points on seven makes from 3-point range. He finished with a team-high eight points in the fourth quarter.

Kyrie Irving did not participate in this game due to his continued ineligibility to play at Barclays Center. Ben Simmons remains sidelined as he continues to recover from back problems.

Here are the player grades after a comeback win over the Trail Blazers:

Kyrie Irving is spotted at a Seton Hall game in New Jersey

Kyrie Irving isn’t eligible to join the Nets, but he can still catch some college basketball action in his spare time.

Nets fans are left to wait patiently for Kyrie Irving to adhere to the eligibility requirements set by New York City mandates, but there’s been no sign that Irving has changed his stance on vaccination, and his absence will continue indefinitely.

On Wednesday, the Nets star was spotted attending a Seton Hall game in New Jersey as the Pirates took down the Wagner Seahawks. Since he’s not allowed to play right now, something that he obviously wants to do, Irving has to do something to fulfill his love for the game right now.

With Brooklyn currently playing short-handed, the 29-year-old would have been the perfect piece to help sustain this bump in the road. The Nets are currently without Joe Harris (ankle) and Nicolas Claxton (illness). Last season, Irving averaged 26 PPG on an impressive 51% shooting from the field and 40% accuracy from three.

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Brooklyn Nets news: Nicolas Claxton is nearing a return to the court

After missing 13 games this season because of a non-COVID related illness, Nicolas Claxton is seen in the gym again.

Nicolas Claxton has already missed 13 games this season due to a non-COVID related illness. It was only a matter of time before a sign of his return to the court came. Now, that sign is here, and it’s in the form of him working out in the gym again. In four games for the Nets this season, Claxton put up 6.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 1 BPG on 55% accuracy. Expect this to change though because the 22-year-old has a bigger role for the team this year.

As the best defender for Brooklyn, Claxton will be the anchor defensively. One of the big man’s bizarre talents resides on the perimeter defensively too, making him an absolute nightmare for opposing guards. Although his conditioning is still a work in progress, it’s only going to get better as the season improves. Fortunately for Nets fans, Claxton still has the potential to have a breakout season.

Another thing to look forward to is his ability to rebound. According to NBA.com, Brooklyn ranks 23rd in the league in rebounds, grabbing 44 RPG. Still, they find themselves first in the Eastern Conference, so getting Claxton back to help in that department will work wonders.

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LaMarcus Aldridge continues to shine in his new role off the bench

In a career-low of 20 minutes per game, LaMarcus Aldridge putting up impressive numbers for the Nets.

Nets veteran LaMarcus Aldridge is not used to coming off the bench. Going into this campaign, the 36-year-old had come off the bench on only 28 occasions in his time with the Portland Trail Blazers and the San Antonio Spurs. Twenty-two of those 28 games were in his rookie season.

Aldridge has adapted to his new role with the Nets impressively, coming off the bench 15 times. In an average of  20 MPG, a career-low, the veteran is putting up 12.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 1.1 BPG on 58% shooting from the field and 42% accuracy from downtown.

The fact Aldridge is doing this without Kyrie Irving and Nicolas Claxton in the lineup for most of these games just shows how much more the veteran has in store for the rest of season. The midrange maestro not only has enough in the tank to finish this campaign, but also several more seasons.

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Nets news: Nicolas Claxton is set to miss fourth straight game with illness

Nicolas Claxton will miss Wednesday’s game against the Hawks.

Nets big man Nicolas Claxton is still battling a non-COVID related illness and has been officially ruled out against the team’s Wednesday matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. In four games this season, Claxton put up 6.5 PPG to go along with 5.5 RPG on 55% shooting.

The 22-year-old has shown promise since entering the league in 2019 and still has a lot to show this season. In his absence, the team has gone 2-1 with the only loss coming at the hands of the Miami Heat. Nets head coach Steve Nash expressed before Sunday’s game against the Detroit Pistons that he expects Claxton to miss up to a week or 10 days because of this illness.

The team’s frontcourt will have to continue stepping up until he comes back. Once he does, his interior presence on both ends will only add on to the momentum Brooklyn is building right now.

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Nicolas Claxton: ‘I’m one of the best defenders in the league’

Nicolas Claxton continues to elevate his overall game, but his defense will always stand out more than everything else.

The Brooklyn Nets‘ big man in the middle, Nicolas Claxton, means business heading into the new NBA campaign. Claxton was given the nod by head coach Steve Nash to start Friday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and he made sure to make the most of his opportunity. In 24 minutes, the 22-year-old scored 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field. Claxton also grabbed seven boards to add to his one steal and one block.

Claxton even recorded the second best plus-minus on the team at +26. A large part of his success stemmed from his activity on the defensive end. Claxton prides himself for his defense and that has been a department he has improved in year by year. This hunger to make defending a priority has been there since his rookie year.

“It really started with my guarding KD (Kevin Durant) when he was coming back from his injury,” said Claxton during Friday’s postgame press conference. “It’s something that I have gotten a lot more comfortable with. Being able to guard guards, something that I did in college. Like you said, I took a lot of pride in that. I feel like I’m one of the best defenders in the league.”

You can just see the confidence sizzling around the young big man as he heads into his third season more determined than ever. Claxton definitely has something special in store for the basketball world soon.

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