Brooklyn Nets Should ‘Shop’ 22-Year-Old Starter By Trade Deadline: Analyst

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The Brooklyn Nets are going through a rough patch currently as their star forward Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury, leaving a part-time Kyrie Irving and James Harden to shoulder the load.

So far, the results haven’t been pretty as the team has now dropped three games in a row, but now is the time to panic as Durant will eventually be back, although he will miss the All-Star Game, and the team will be ready to compete for a championship just in time for the playoffs.

While a lot of the pieces are in place for a deep playoff run, there are still some areas of improvement for the Nets, and it comes in the frontcourt. When playing together, Irving and Harden are one of the best duos in the NBA, but losing Durant to injury shows just how thin the Nets are at forward.

Center has also been a point of concern as starter Nic Claxton hasn’t been able to stay on the court this season, and Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge will also remain big question marks going forward due to their age and ability to stay on the floor for extended periods of time.

All of this could result in a big trade, and Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley suggests the team should shop around and see what they can get in return for Claxton. With the Nets effectively in “win now” mode, they could use a veteran big man who’s tasted the playoffs before instead of a 22-year-old playing with three of the biggest stars in the NBA today.

Claxton on the Move?

GettyBrooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton is introduced before a game against the Charlotte Hornets.

A recent report has suggested the Nets are already taking calls on several of their players, including Claxton, so a trade definitely has legs.

For what it’s worth, Claxton is having the best season of his young career, but it’s not uncommon to see young talent with a ton of upside flipped in exchange for a more experienced player accustomed to the limelight.

Buckley argues the Nets are top-heavy with their roster, and it’s hard to argue with that since the team seems to live and die by how their stars perform, so perhaps an influx of more talent is what they need. In an effort to ease the burden on Durant, Irving and Harden, the team could flip Claxton in exchange for some other veterans.

At this point in time, it’s not clear on what the young center could field in return, but in terms of valuable trade chips on the Nets, he would appear to be the most lucrative.

Nets Could Stay Put

GettyNic Claxton is a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

On the other hand, Claxton, when healthy, has shown that he plays well with the Nets’ big three. He can throw down lobs from the playmakers with ease, and he does pretty well in the painted area.

There’s also the added bonus of his upside, but he might not reach his full potential until many of the current stars are out of town. With the roster as it currently is, he factors in as the fourth option at best, so his production is certainly limited. That doesn’t mean he can’t flash a ton of talent, but he won’t exactly get the chances to do it in Brooklyn as he might elsewhere.

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