The Nets are prepared to match any offer to keep restricted free agent Nic Claxton, according to a report from Heavy.com. A second-round pick in 2019, the 23-year-old center will be on the market this summer after spending three years in Brooklyn. He averaged 8.7 points and 5.6 rebounds this season, mostly in a backup role, and his numbers have improved each year.
An Eastern Conference general manager told Sean Deveney that there’s interest in Claxton on the open market, speculating that the Hornets or Bulls might give him an offer above the mid-level exception, possibly around $35MM over three years.
“(The Nets) are not sold on him as the big guy of the future but at that number, they’d keep him around, and know they can move him in a deal next summer if they have something better in mind,” the GM said. “Trouble is, they’ve got a short window here so they can’t wait for him too long. But (Brooklyn GM Sean Marks) is a believer in development and they are not going to give up on him that fast.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- The Celtics could be Brooklyn’s main competition for free agent Bruce Brown, Deveney adds in a separate story. Brown will be unrestricted after accepting the Nets’ qualifying offer last summer, and Boston coach Ime Udoka got to know him while serving as an assistant coach for Brooklyn last season. “He might be out of their price range in the end and maybe he goes back to Brooklyn,” a rival executive told Deveney, “but Ime was an assistant there and we’ve seen that carries some weight with who they bring in. He was good in that Celtics series. If he can’t get a big offer, they could sneak in with him on a one-and-one (one year, with a player option) deal and put him to good use.”
- Former NBA coach and current TNT broadcaster Stan Van Gundy believes the Nets have to overcome trust issues to be successful next season, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has a talented roster, but Van Gundy hasn’t seen the cohesion necessary to win in the playoffs. “Over time … are guys going to look around and really have trust for other guys? Or will they be looking around saying, ‘You know what, that dude is going to let us down. I know he is. We can’t count on him,’” Van Gundy said. “And so they’ve got a lot to overcome in that way, which I think may even be more important than the talent they put out on the floor.”
- In another story, Lewis retraces the fall of the Nets’ Big Three and suggests that things may have gone differently if Spencer Dinwiddie hadn’t been injured. Dinwiddie underwent knee surgery on January 4, 2021, and Brooklyn traded for James Harden nine days later.
*Nets have to match any offer. Because they can’t add anyone in FA.
Bulls don’t have salary cap to offer 3 year $35 million to Claxton
Maybe Bulls can make trade offer
Bulls are likely to keep LaVine
Claxton is not worth 35 mill over 3 yrs. Noel is better and he’s getting 8.5 for two yrs. Third yr is a team option.
And the unknowable lost their minds over this contract. I actually like Claxton he’s a high energy guy. Very similar gm to Noel by the way. He’s a better offensive player. Where Noel imo is a better defensive player. Noel should have a big yr after getting his surgery. This should help Knicks move him with no problem.
Nets center position is wide open. Drummond is a FA. Do you bring him back. Nets can only offer him the taxpayer mid-level exception. Can they afford to let Claxton walk.
I like Claxton a lot. But he’s a backup to me. He’s a big rotation guy. Who can give you good mins there. But as a starter you will not get same results. Drummond is a Starting center in the NBA. Nets have decisions to make.
Nets pick #23 in the draft. They can draft a center, imo they should. Kessler from Auburn and Orlando Robinson from Fresno St. Both should be there for them. Or they could move up for Williams from Duke. Who is more NBA ready. Nets center position is something they need to address.
I like the idea to make good trade for the free agents. I don’t like the idea to sign top free agents without any salary cap space.
Ex
Lakers sign free agent Zach LaVine.
Knicks sign free agent Ayton
Sign Vet Min to win championships?LOL
It’s amazing how the importance of Dinwiddie is surfacing now. Just amazing how some of us are so ahead on this Balling thing.
Randle is from Dallas. There he should have no issues being a #2 to Luka. Dallas can’t keep Dinwiddie and Brunson. For what ?
They can’t let Brunson walk. Not after this yr. So makes too much sense for them. Randle is a 20 pt 10 reb 5 ast guy. Not many 4s in NBA do that. Dallas is his home town. So he should be in his best behavior there. Knicks should be doing all they can to get Dinwiddie. And moving Randle out. This is a win win for both teams. I would gladly give up Quickley to get this done ……..
Randle/ Quickley/ Kemba >>> to Mavs
Dinwiddie/ Bertans >>>> to Knicks
Let’s go get it done Knicks ……..