Brooklyn Nets center Nicolas Claxton has been one of the best paint presences in the NBA over the past few seasons. The 25-year-old averaged 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks last season, and was rewarded with a four-year, $97 million contract.
There was fear that the career Net would leave for a better team in the offseason, however he decided to re-sign. Brooklyn has Claxton locked in for four more years, however, they paid him in the same offseason the team traded Mikal Bridges, signaling a rebuild.
Claxton is already 25, which is in between young and old when it comes to NBA careers. He’s gotten better every season throughout his five-year career, but his new deal might give way to a potential trade at this season’s deadline.
Claxton’s four-year deal ensures teams that are interested that he will be there for the long term, which increases his value. An organization looking for a center would be inclined to give more to a team for a player locked into a good contract rather than someone on an expiring deal.
It would also make sense for the Nets to trade Claxton because of how this team is rebuilding. Cam Thomas, Jalen Wilson, Dariq Whitehead, and Noah Clowney are all between ages 20 and 23, so while Claxton isn’t too far off of Brooklyn’s timeline, he’s going to hit his late 20s soon, and the Nets may not be out of the rebuilding stage by then, given the number of draft picks they’ve stockpiled.
Realistically, Claxton should spend at least the next season or two in Brooklyn, but the idea of trading him early into his contract might not be such a bad thing when considering the circumstances.
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