Nets’ Claxton Linked to Suns as Phoenix Weighs No. 10 Pick Decision After Durant Trade

With Kevin Durant now in Houston, all eyes are on the Suns' No. 10 pick—and whether Brooklyn's Nic Claxton could be part of a follow-up deal.

Mar 24, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) looks on during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Kevin Durant has finally been traded, moving from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets in the second blockbuster trade of the 2025 NBA offseason.

The Brooklyn Nets were initially expected to be included regardless of Durant's destination, but Phoenix and Houston managed to get the deal done without the inclusion of a third team.

Once the trade becoms official on July 6, there's a chance the Nets are able to get involved after the fact.

The Suns seem to be unwilling to commit to a complete rebuild, as there have been no indications they'd like to move off Devin Booker. So, Phoenix suddenly has a glaring need at the center spot, a position the Nets could help the Suns upgrade at.

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Brooklyn could send its starting big man to Phoenix in exchange for the 10th-overall pick, a key piece of today's Durant deal.

"The fallout from all of this Durant trade stuff now lies on the Suns with the No. 10 pick. Does Phoenix use this pick for a young talent, or do they swing another deal for an established center?" Siegel posted to X on Sunday. "Nic Claxton keeps being linked to Phoenix and Brooklyn wants another lotto pick."

The Nets' search for a second lottery pick has been nearly as well documented as the trade rumors surrounding Claxton. If both prove to be true, following the framework Siegel proposed could be the perfect move for both sides.

Claxton, 26, signed a four-year, $97 million deal last summer, but could see his six-year tenure in Brooklyn come to an end if Phoenix is able to pry him away from the franchise that drafted him. Due to the Suns' cap issues, they'd have to unload bad contracts (and likely multiple first-round picks on top of pick 10) to get a deal done.

It would be hard to imagine Bradley Beal not being included in a hypothetical deal, but his inclusion would likely force the Suns to dig even deeper into their future assets than they already have.

On paper, the deal makes sense, but negotiations could become complicated if the two sides to begin engaging in talks.

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