It has been an eventful summer thus far for the Brooklyn Nets, to say the least. The good news is that it seems that the worst part is over now that both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have committed to return to the squad for the upcoming season.

Nets big man Nic Claxton has shared his thoughts on his team's drama-filled offseason. For his part, the 23-year-old is well aware that despite all the attention that has been given to his superstar teammates, he too will have a crucial role to play in 2022-23 (via Brian Lewis of the New York Post — paywalled):

“I’m an OG now,” said Claxton. “So I feel like there’s a lot more that’s going to be put on my shoulders. … I’m ready for the challenge. I’m ready for everything that’s going to come with it.

“Honestly it doesn’t [change my approach]. I mean, I still got to show up every day. I know probably a lot more will be asked of me, so I’ve just got to be ready,”

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When asked about the recent development involving KD and his decision to do a complete U-turn with regard to his trade demand, Claxton said that it's “exciting” for him now that they're going to run it back with the same core. The 6-foot-11 center knows how dominant his team can be, but at the same time, he remains wary of the potential pitfalls that they might encounter:

“On paper, we definitely have some of the best talent in the league, but as we’ve seen in the past, it takes more than that,” Claxton said. “So we’ve just got to come together and just all work towards the same goal, which is winning the championship.

“We just have to be able to shut out the outside noise. Since I’ve been here, it’s always been something. But we just have to be able to shut that out and just focus on everybody that’s inside the building and focus on getting better, building on and off the court. … We’ve just got to come together and come together as a unit.”

Let's also not forget that Ben Simmons is going to be making his Nets debut this coming season. The former Rookie of the Year has had his fair share of controversies of late as well, but it remains true that Simmons also happens to be one of the top guards in the league today.

As long as the Nets are able to get their act together, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if they emerge as serious title contenders this year.