The Nets won’t have to worry about losing center Nic Claxton in free agency if they can sign him before he reaches the open market, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn will have an exclusive negotiating window that runs from the end of the NBA Finals until the official start of free agency at 5 p.m. Central Time on June 30. Lewis talked to two league executives who expect Claxton to re-sign with the Nets, and Brooklyn general manager Sean Marks calls him the team’s “No. 1 priority.”
“We hope he’s a Net for a very long time,” Marks said. “We hope we can continue to build around him and build with him and so forth. And it’s been fun to watch Nic develop from his days at Georgia coming all the way through here. He’s scratched the surface on who he could end up being one day.”
One of the executives Lewis contacted expects Claxton to receive at least $20MM annually in his next contract, while the other points to Toronto center Jakob Poeltl‘s four-year, $78MM deal as the minimum for Claxton. Lewis adds that Claxton should be considered the best center in a free agent market that will also include New York’s Isaiah Hartenstein and New Orleans’ Jonas Valanciunas.
“It’s exciting, for me, at least. I know everybody’s situation is different, but for me personally, it’s fun, it’s exciting, the unknown of everything,” Claxton said. “I’m appreciative of Brooklyn for just giving me the opportunity to be here and support me. And like I said, we’ll see what happens.”
There’s more from New York City:
- In a separate story (subscriber only), Lewis makes the case that a trade might be the best move for both Dorian Finney-Smith and the Nets. Lewis explains that Finney-Smith is Brooklyn’s oldest player at 31 and makes more sense on a contending team. With a $14.9MM salary for next season and a $15.4MM player option for 2025/26, Finney-Smith could wind up as an unrestricted free agent next summer, so this may be the Nets’ best opportunity to get something of value in return.
- Jalen Brunson doesn’t believe the Knicks should use injuries as an excuse for their second-round loss to Indiana, relays Ryan Dunleavy of The New York Post. Speaking on his “Roommates Show” podcast with Josh Hart, Brunson said, “The one thing I hated the most – even though like we were playing well, we were winning, we were up 2-0, then up 3-2 – whenever we lost everyone was like, ‘Oh, it’s they’re tired or their injuries … Because, I mean, yeah, we don’t have a full team, but I don’t want to use that. I don’t want the narrative being, ‘Oh, they’re hurt so let’s give them a pass.’ Like, no. We had chances to win that series and didn’t. We had a chance to go up 3-0 and we didn’t.”
- With the Knicks holding the 24th and 25th picks, Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News examines the success the team has enjoyed with late first-round and second-round selections in the Leon Rose era. The list of players includes Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride and Jericho Sims.
Oldest player at 31. This new NBA is garbage
With #24, #25 picks in draft.
I’d like to see Knicks draft a Center. Knicks are probably going to lose one. In a trade or FA.
I would like to see what Sims can do with more playing time. How about another shooting guard to replace Grimes and Burks? How about a back up PF to replace Precious even though I really hope he stays. IMO those picks are gone for some unknown player.
NYK will have a good sense on IH resigning (perhaps a definitive one) before the Draft. Even if IH is coming back, though, I think the NYK will take a C – either Ware or Missi – as a project to work (with Sims) behind the tag team of IH and Mitch. I very much doubt they’ll rely on a rookie (a late 1st rounder) to step right into the rotation, unless they have no choice. Not in 2024-25, at least, which is a critical year.
I don’t see Knicks overpaying for IHart. If he’s offered 20 mill or more a yr. Mitch will be the starting C. Sims is capable. But there will be a Center there. The most ready are probably Edey and Ware. Thibs can work with them. Lively has done a good job. Centers can step in and help. We don’t need him to start. Just give good 15 mins and develop. Where I see Ware and IHart as a good mix. Also see Edey and Mitch as a good mix. I’d love to have Mitch and IHart. But that’s not going to happen now. There is a strong chance imo we lose IHart. So I’d prepare for that now. Ware is a solid talent. Might not even be there. I think Edey will be there for Knicks.
The East is going to be deeper next yr. Magic, Hawks will be better. Heat will reload. Pacers are growing up. And will have Siakam and Mathurin from the beginning. Sixers will be contenders with their cap space. Cavs will be older and healthy.
So Knicks can’t afford to stand pat. They have to be ready to address the C position. And all rumors point. To them making a big trade. Nobody feels sorry for you cause you were injured. Knicks have to keep progressing.
Well, we can’t (by league rules) offer IH more than 16 mm per year to start (72 mm/4 years in total). But for that, I’m quite sure that the NYK would match whatever the market for IH is, regardless. If he leaves we’ll have plenty of C’s, they’re out there in droves. But nobody with IH’s offensive skills. We’ll have to upgrade by trade elsewhere. The hope is IH resigns and we do have both he and Mitch, the league’s best tag team.
If he gets 16M man… fleecing at its finest. His current salary is fair value, maybe 10M a season.
@philly – Unfortunately for the NYK, the league’s other potential suitors for IH (aka the market participants) appear to have a very different opinion of IH’s value than you do. Which, of course, is no surprise.
I’m still 50/50 on believing thar Claxton either stays, or goes. I’m hoping that the Nets could keep building around Claxton, Thomas, Clowney, along with getting a Trae Young, or seeing if Dearon Fox asks out of Sacramento.