Getty Nicolas Claxton, Joe Harris, and Blake Griffin chat during a matchup with the Charlotte Hornets.
When the Brooklyn Nets traded their big man DeAndre Jordan to the Detroit Pistons this past offseason it left the door wide open for their young big man Nicolas Claxton to take over the starting center position. Claxton was named the opening night starter for the Nets and started the team’s first three games.
But after a 1-2 start to the season, Nets head coach Steve Nash pulled Claxton from the starting lineup and inserted forward Bruce Brown to take his place in the fourth game, thus moving him to the second unit.
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Brooklyn Nets Reassigned to Long Island Nets
On the season Claxton is averaging 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game. He has been away from the team since October 31 with what the Nets are calling a non-COVID-related illness. He will be away from the Nets for even longer than the team previously imagined. On November 5 the team announced that Claxton has been reassigned to their G-League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.
“The Nets have assigned Nic Claxton to their NBA G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. But he’s just going to be training and ramping up, and this isn’t expected to change his timeline. He’s still not ready to play,” Brian Lewis of the New York Post wrote on Twitter.
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Executives Think Claxton Could Be On the Move
Claxton may be struggling out of the gate but one person who has not struggled this season is the most recent member of the 20k points club, LaMarcus Aldridge. On the season he is averaging 12.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. He is also shooting a scorching 66% from the field.
With the emergence of Aldridge amid a struggling season for Claxton, it causes many to wonder if a shake-up is on the way for the Nets. Many executives believe Claxton could be the next player on the move from Brooklyn.
“I think Claxton’s a guy that could get moved. They’ve got a lot of veterans they can play over him that came there to play and win a championship. I think they end up moving him if they need a piece,” one NBA executive said to Michael Scotto of “HoopsHype.”
“I like him. He’s young and skilled. He just needs to go to a place where he’ll get a lot of opportunities. Brooklyn’s tax bill is going to be ridiculous coming up. If they figure they can get someone as productive as him, and I think they drafted Day’Ron Sharpe with that in mind, to fill his role at a lower salary number.”
Steve Nash Sounds off About Nets’ Improvement
The Nets have made a vast improvement since the beginning of the season but the most notable change has been their play on the defensive end. In their last game against the Atlanta Hawks, the Nets held All-Star Trae Young to just a 6-22 outing from the field. Nash says the team is still trying to get a feel for each other but has faith that they will eventually get there.
“We’re improving on both ends. More understanding defensively how we want to play, and offensively we’re becoming more willing to get to second actions and then trust and move it and not play against a loaded defense,” Nash said to the “New York Post.” “We’re improving. We’re getting a feel for one another. But it’s got to be a process that we never let go of.”
The Nets will have a chance to make it four wins in a row on Friday night when they take on the Pistons.
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