Nic Claxton is finalizing a four-year, $100 million deal to return to the Nets, the Daily News confirmed on Wednesday. Brooklyn made retaining the free agent center a top priority entering the offseason and its persistence paid off.
While the exact terms of Claxton’s deal have not been disclosed, he is expected to make around $25 million per year over the lifespan of his new deal. Ninety-six million of Claxton’s new contract will be guaranteed, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Claxton, who was selected 31st overall by the Nets in the 2019 NBA Draft, has steadily improved at both ends of the court in each of his first five NBA seasons and is now considered one of the better two-way players in the league at his position.
The 25-year-old averaged 11.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.1 blocks per game last season, finishing eighth in the league in total blocks (146), 21st in field goal percentage among centers (62.9), 14th in total rebounds collected among centers (706) and recorded 30 double-doubles in 71 games.
Speaking to reporters during exit interviews in April, Claxton admitted that he is far from a finished product. The Nets are banking on that untapped potential and first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez believes he can be a future Defensive Player of the Year winner in the NBA.
After news of him returning to Brooklyn was made public, Claxton shared a message on Instagram that read “I know who I am”.
While the Nets appear to be steering toward a full rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges to the Knicks on Tuesday, retaining Claxton’s services for the next four years at least gives them a high-upside piece in the frontcourt to build around.
It also means Claxton also has the opportunity to further develop alongside second-year forward Noah Clowney, who impressed down the stretch of Brooklyn’s lost 2023-24 season.
An April 11 game against the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center was the best tease of what that duo could be capable of in future seasons, as they combined for 12 of Brooklyn’s 15 blocks in the team’s 106-102 win.
