The Nets may already have 10 losses in mid-November, but veteran center Nic Claxton is quietly off to the strongest offensive start of his career.
Claxton’s 15.2 points per game through 11 appearances is the highest scoring mark of his seven-year career, making him a legitimate offensive contributor among centers across the league. His 3.7 assists per game is also a career best, a clear sign that he’s starting to find comfort as an offensive hub in Jordi Fernández’s system.
“I’m very happy with what I’m seeing from Nic,” Fernandez said. “Efficiency, true shooting, however you want to call it… He’s got to sustain it for 82 [games], but all his work is paying off. There’s going to be some ups, there’s going to be some downs, but we will support him, and we believe in him because we see the day-to-day work… I’m happy when he plays with energy, he affects everybody else, all his teammates.”
Claxton’s efficiency has been one of his biggest jumps. He shot just 56.3% from the field last season, tied for the lowest mark of his career. This year, that number has climbed to 61.5%, which ranks 10th in the league, and he’s converting 64% of his two-point attempts. He’s not in the top scoring tier among centers, but he’s clearly capitalizing on his chances as a finisher, cutter and roll man, even if he’s still ways from the 70.5 percent he posted during his breakout 2022-23 season.
“I just wanted to just add some tools in my bag, and that’s the move that I really focused on,” Claxton said when asked about his newfound aggressiveness when driving to the rim. “I’m just being assertive, knowing how teams are going to guard me.”
The 26-year-old is also shooting a career-best 73.6% from the free-throw line.
“That’s probably one of the biggest things I worked on this summer, was just my body and free throw shooting,” Claxton said. “I really just kind of changed my whole shot… Feels good. So, just keep going.”
For Claxton, the next step is tightening the areas that still limit his ceiling. The Nets remain near the bottom of the league in points allowed in the paint, and while that isn’t all on him, being a steadier presence inside will matter as Brooklyn tries to patch up its defense.
Claxton is pulling down 7.1 rebounds per game, a respectable number but one that suggests there’s still room for him to assert himself more on the glass. If he can clean up those details while sustaining this offensive rise, he becomes more than just a bright spot in a rough start. He becomes someone who can either anchor Brooklyn’s core or boost the team’s flexibility on the market.
Mobile, efficient centers that can pass are hard to find. If Claxton keeps trending upward, he’ll be one of the more appealing bigs in the league should the Nets decide to listen to trade offers.
“Yeah, I got to be better for sure,” Claxton said. “I’m only averaging around like seven or eight rebounds, and we’ve been struggling as a team in that area, so I can definitely step up my game in that department. We had a conversation about that, and that will obviously help us get out in the transition.”
