DeAndre Jordan and Jarrett Allen, the two main big men on the Brooklyn Nets roster to start last season, are long gone. That leaves a huge hole on the team for a defensive-minded rim-protector.
Head coach Steve Nash believes that third-year player Nic Claxton could be that guy. Nash spoke out about Claxton during his press conference alongside Nets GM Sean Marks, claiming that the 6'11” big man is poised for a “prominent role”.
Via NetsDaily:
“I think Nic is an important part of what we do. He’s a unique profile on our roster, an athletic, active big who can finish around the basket, guard multiple positions. That’s I think something that is very unique on our roster and he’s one of our better defenders, so I see Nic having a prominent role.”
The Nets re-upped their two higher-profile big men from last season in Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge. But neither of them can serve as a true defensive presence in the paint, which will be critical in certain matchups for Brooklyn.
Claxton wasn't given much run last season, but in limited minutes he looked every bit the part of the hard-nosed player they need, willing to do the dirty work while Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving did the heavy lifting.
The Nets big man tallied 1.3 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 5.2 rebounds per game in just a shade over 18 minutes in the regular season. He got even less playing time in the postseason, but still managed to average one block in 12 games played and highly erratic minutes on the court.
While defensive stats aren't definitive to mean impact, it's at least indicative of the activity level and mobility he has at the five spot. Nic Claxton can provide Brooklyn with a different look on the defensive end when needed. For a team so heavily geared towards scoring, that could prove to be invaluable.
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