Brooklyn Nets Reportedly Comfortable Paying Nic Claxton to Re-Sign Him

The Nets are high on Claxton's ability as a center in the NBA, and they're going to pay him fairly for his services.

Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) warms up prior to the / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The Brooklyn Nets will have some decisions to make this offseason, with the biggest of those being how much they'll pay Nic Claxton, should they decide to re-sign him and return his services.

Even if the Nets' biggest offseason move is re-signing Claxton and securing him for four years would be huge as the franchise continues to find its footing in the post-Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant era. A core of Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Claxton is one that is a few tweaks and additions away from being a playoff team. Cam Thomas' emergence certainly helps, too.

However, Claxton signed his last deal to bet on himself. Now, at 25-years-old, the 6-foot-11 center is hitting the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. He's going to command good money, and the Nets are reportedly comfortable paying it.

According to Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily, Brooklyn will pay above market value if that's what it takes to secure him in a Nets jersey for the next few years.

In December, Michael Scott of HoopsHype reported Claxton could command somewhere around $25 million annually this offseason, with a comparison to Cleveland Cavaliers Jarrett Allen and his contract at $20 million annually.

“I could see $25 million per year as an inflation of Jarrett Allen’s deal for Claxton, or I could see Allen’s deal at $20 million annually,” an executive told Scotto.

So, the Nets are likley going to run up a $25 million annual dear for four years to secure Claxton and his anchoring defense in Brooklyn for the future. His deal would end when he is 29-years-old, roughly in the peak of his playing career.

The Nets would secure some of the best years of Claxton's career while giving them time to build a defensive-minded team around him. They don't hold their future first-round draft picks for the most part, so this would keep them competitive while tearing down the roster doesn't make sense.

While free agency is still two months removed from now, it'll be comforting for the Nets if and when they ink Claxton to a new, longer deal that rewards him for his services and improvement over the years.

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