With the status of the NBA in limbo, it’s fair to assume that the regular season is all but over. That being said, it’s time to look back at what we saw from certain players this year, and where they go from here – starting with Brooklyn Nets rookie, Nic Claxton.
Nic Claxton was essentially the lone rookie for the Brooklyn Nets this season, with the only other draftee, Jaylen Hands, spending all his time in the G-League. On a team that’s clearly been putting all hands on deck to win-now, this makes sense.
As former First-Team All-NBA Center (people forget!) DeAndre Jordan solidifies his role on the team and Jarrett Allen continues to get better every day, it’s tough to see where Claxton fits in. His disappointing first season definitely reflected this, as the rook averaged just 12.5 minutes in 15 games.
While fans might be frustrated with the lack of production and run they saw from Claxton, the overall outlook on him is incredibly optimistic. Any player, coach, or staff member on the team will tell you that the sky is the limit for how good he can be. But don’t take it from me – take it from Spencer Dinwiddie, as reported by the New York Times:
"“Nic is the second-most talented player on this team… [First] is KD… But Nic’s got game. He’s got a chance [to be great].”"
So either Dinwiddie forgot Kyrie Irving is still on the roster, or he really believes in Claxton.
At 6’11” with a long frame, great athleticism, nose for the ball, reliable jump shot, and never-ending motor, Claxton seemingly has it all there. The keyword here is chance – it’s about putting everything together.
What We Liked
15 games really isn’t much to go off of, even if people who say Zion Williamson should be Rookie of The Year think so. Nonetheless, the small sample size still gave Nets fans plenty to be excited about.
Easy Buckets
It’s clear that until Claxton develops a post-game that keeps the defense accountable, there won’t be too many plays that call his name. Like many centers these days, Claxton will find a lot of value in put-backs, alley-oops, and simple pick and rolls.
In one of his best games of the season, Claxton had 15 points against the Philadelphia 76ers doing pretty much just that. To his credit, he did knock down a three, but it was an in-the-zone type of shot (you knew it was going in).
Claxton does pretty well in this role, as his long reach and athleticism give him an advantage over other players. It’s the same energy as Jarrett Allen catching lobs over his defenders’ outstretched arms.
Claxton has a relentless motor to go with it, which makes him even more of a threat. As Richard Jefferson has said a few times, “He doesn’t have a muscle in sight but the kid is strong.”
Defense and Rebounding
Another great outing for Claxton came against the Milwaukee Bucks, when he posted 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 19 minutes. With impressive speed and athleticism for his size, Claxton can quickly recover, help out, disrupt shots, and chase down loose balls.
What stands out to me is Claxton’s nose for the ball. In the short spurts he’s had, he proves to be adept at swimming past defenders and tracking down boards. This isn’t something that can really be taught easily, so it’s great to see that Claxton has a solid foundation there.
Motor
I’ll never understand why teams solely draft prospects for their motor (e.g. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist), but it’s definitely a great attribute to have. A player could be less skilled than their competition and still win the battle solely off hustle and pursuit.
That’s clearly one of Claxton’s major selling points. Over the extended course of a game, Claxton has the potential to wear his defenders down and outwork them for those pivotal “50-50 balls” that ultimately decide games.
While we didn’t get to see Claxton do this for more than 19 minutes in a game this year, his short runs proved that there’s a ton in the tank.
What We Didn’t Like
Nets fans have an incredible talent on their hands, but Claxton is far from his final form.
(Lack of) Strength
As it stands right now, Claxton is going to continue to get bullied in the post by more physical players, both on offense and defense. At just 215 pounds (that’s the same weight as Dinwiddie, who’s six inches shorter), Claxton has a long ways to go in terms of filling out his body.
This hurts him in situations where he goes one-on-one with a stronger player, like (former Net legend) Brook Lopez in the video below.
Lopez, who has about 70 pounds on Claxton, has no problem swatting the rookie’s shot a pair of times without even really trying. Lopez plays straight up, but Claxton is unable to move him or create any type of space because of his lack of strength.
This is undoubtedly the main building block for Claxton and the Nets to focus on this offseason. In fact, it seems like a requirement at this point. As Kenny Atkinson told the NY Daily News (when he was still with the team):
"“Once he gets stronger, he’s going to be a heck of a player for us. He’s a competitor, a high-level competitor. We’re really bullish on him.”"
(Lack of) Offensive Tools
Like I’ve said, Claxton’s role on offense for the near future is going to be limited to being the clean-up man. Beyond that, he doesn’t really bring too much to the table yet.
Claxton went 11-21 from the line and 1-7 from 3 on the season. However, there’s definitely reason to be hopeful in this department. In his nine games in the G-League, Claxton shot 16-21 from the line and 10-18 from three, so maybe it’s just an issue of adjusting to the bright lights.
In addition, Claxton isn’t afraid to put the ball on the floor and take it to the basket, which is encouraging. In that Bucks game, there were several times he took it right at a bigger defenders chest and somehow found a way to score. The next step will be to do this consistently.
Development/Opportunity
For being known as a player development guru, Kenny Atkinson seemed to be quite hands-off on Claxton. Obviously, we don’t know everything that goes on behind the scenes, but at the surface level, 12.5 minutes a game in 19 games doesn’t seem like an “all-in” endorsement.
It definitely would’ve been nice to see Claxton gain more experience in real games, even if it was at the end of a blowout. Those garbage minutes can often help make the transition to the real-time minutes a whole lot easier.
Luckily, this is only the beginning of what is hopefully a great career for Claxton.
With an extended offseason, (potentially) some Summer League experience, and a change in leadership, expect Nic Claxton to make that next step in 2020.