Inside The Nets

Sources: Nets not shopping Nic Claxton, set to be aggressive in re-signing him as UFA

Nets committed to Nic and intends to retain his long-term service.

Peter Sunjic

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The Brooklyn Nets are convinced of their regard of Nic Claxton as an important building block of their future.

As such, sources told SNY’s Ian Begley that the Nets desire to keep him and be “aggressive” in their approach to re-sign the big man as an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

“Per sources familiar with the matter, the Nets want Claxton on the team for the foreseeable future and will be aggressive in trying to re-sign him this summer. They will probably have competition from the small number of teams with cap space. But the Nets are not looking to shop Claxton ahead of the deadline.”

Not for sale

There were recent whispers around Brooklyn that Claxton “could be more available” around the marketplace as Thursday's trade deadline nears. This puts a huge question on whether the Nets have strong plans to consider retaining the center this summer or not.

But as argued by Begley, the ball club has no intent to shop him, as the Nets would have to be blown away by an offer from a rival team to ship Claxton away.

“A report recently suggested that Brooklyn would make Nic Claxton available prior to the trade deadline. I can say confidently that a team would have to blow the Nets away to acquire Claxton.”

Clax is an important foundation of the Nets' future

Claxton, 24, is averaging 12.4 points, 10.4 boards, 2.4 blocks, and a solid 63.6 percent true shooting rate for 40 games of play this season. From being a project player, Nic tremendously developed throughout the years and emerged as Brooklyn's strong defensive anchor.

Retaining him will require a significant price as past estimations project that he may net an annual salary of $20M to $25M in his upcoming new contract. Nevertheless, it is considerably a must-do for the team to regain him as his ability and potential play an important role in the franchise's contending direction for years to come.

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Peter Sunjic
PETER SUNJIC

Peter's journey with basketball commenced in the first grade, and it has since evolved into an integral part of his life. Standing on the brink of a potential professional playing career, Peter ultimately chose to pursue a degree in Political Science and Journalism in Zagreb, Croatia. Despite this academic pursuit, his deep-rooted love for the game of basketball endured, undiminished. Now, as a writer and editor, Peter finds an avenue to channel his unwavering passion for basketball-related news and analysis. Whether it's deciphering the latest happenings or delving into the lore of old-school basketball, he covers every corner of the NBA world.

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