This is going to get overshadowed on the Brooklyn Nets' transaction ledger after the blockbuster they swung in sending Mikal Bridges to the Knicks on Tuesday, but Nic Claxton's life just changed.
According to multiple reports, Claxton has agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract to stay in Brooklyn, where he has spent the entirety of his five-year career after the Nets took him in the second round of the 2019 draft.
It goes without saying that it is extremely rare for a second-round draft pick to secure this kind of contract. Most of them fade out of the league and go looking for contracts overseas.
Claxton has earned this payday as arguably Brooklyn's best player last season and as a model of consistency over the last two years, over which he has basically averaged a double-double while blocking more shots (335) than any player other than Brook Lopez. He's an All-Defense caliber guy and maybe most importantly, he plays. Claxton missed just 17 game over the last two seasons.
He isn't a go-to scorer, but he's damn near automatic around the rim as a finisher. His touch is great; you might be surprised to learn that his .661 shooting percentage is the best in history among players with a career average of better than 10 points per game. He converted over 70% of his shots in 2022-23.
The Nets are officially in rebuild mode after the Bridges deal. They have accumulated 15 first-round picks over the next seven drafts starting in 2025, when they project to have more than $60M in cap space set to open up. They could be very good very quickly, or they could become a dumping ground for bad deals and pile up even more draft capital. At 25 years old, Claxton fits either timeline.
