Inside The Nets

Kevin Ollie wants Nic Claxton to be more assertive on offense

Nic Claxton has tons of potential on offense, which Coach Ollie wants to unlock.
Peter Sunjic|
© Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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Brooklyn Nets

Nic Claxton is known as an elite defender due to his presence in the paint. He also has a superb effect on opponents, as his length bothers opponents. With his defensive impact, Claxton has shown he has solid value, but his offensive contributions must keep up.

Brooklyn would love him to be a reliable go-to scorer, considering Mikal Bridges and Cameron Thomas have to shoulder so much of the offensive load. Having someone like Claxton step up as a legitimate scoring threat could lead to a three-pronged offense for Coach Kevin Ollie.

“I really him to play with freedom and not put him in a box. Let him make little mistakes but make them with the right intentions is what I always say,” Ollie said about Clax’s offensive potential before playing against Memphis. “He’s our hub. When we get it to him in our high-post area, we can cut off that, get a couple of layups from that, our flash game, we want to play with that type of flow.”

Ollie sees Claxton as the hub

Nic playing as the Nets’ offensive hub is a role most people didn’t expect the former Georgia Bulldog to have on offense. Hubs is a tag for players like Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid due to their playmaking ability, but Clax has continued to improve in that area.

With advancements in the offense, Coach Ollie can maximize Claxton’s potential by giving him the ball. It’s a big deal for Clax to veer away from his offensive reputation as only a lob threat. That’s not his only skill b because he has shown an affinity for hook shots and taking the rare mid-range spot-up jump shot.

With Clax getting a central role under Coach Ollie, that will lead to solid success for Brooklyn. It would be challenging to develop quickly, but Claxton still has plenty of room to grow at only 24 years old.

Brooklyn has a high ceiling if Clax meets his potential

With Bridges and Thomas’ production as star scorers, having a third option like Clax could elevate this team to the next level. He is already one of the best defenders in the league, but developing into an All-Star-caliber player on offense could lift Brooklyn into the Playoffs moving forward.

Coach Ollie believes in Clax, and that should lead to fruitful results for everyone within the Nets organization because Nic will only improve with time and a watchful Ollie guiding him to play at his best.

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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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