Kevin Durant's take on Nic Claxton's breakout season for Nets

Kevin Durant believes that Nets teammate Nic Claxton has figured out what he needs to do to be an 'impact player every night.'

When Kevin Durant went down with a knee injury, all eyes immediately turned to Kyrie Irving as the man who will be tasked to steer the ship amid KD's extended absence. It hasn't just been Kyrie who has answered the call, though, with guys like Nic Claxton also stepping up to the plate in Durant's stead.

Claxton has been on a tear for the Nets of late, averaging 17.5 points on 71.0 percent shooting, 10.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and a whopping 3.7 blocks in the six games that Durant has been sidelined. Claxton's recent surge may have taken some folks by surprise, but not KD. In his mind, Durant has always known that his Nets teammate is very much capable of emerging as a key role player for the Nets:

“He understands what he has to do to become an impact player every night,” Durant said, via Nets beat reporter Erik Slater of ClutchPoints. “Once you figure out your role, the NBA is pretty simple if you put in that work every day. And that's what he does. You seen, he was the last guy off the floor just now. So, he’s taken that opportunity and seized the moment and is going out there playing great ball. That consistency is something that he's been trying to build for the last couple of years, and you're seeing it right now.”

KD on Nic Claxton's breakout:

“He understands what he has to do to be an impact player every night… You seen, he was the last guy off the floor just now. So, he’s taken that opportunity and seized the moment and is playing great ball." pic.twitter.com/anoPCoI8rz

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 24, 2023

Nic Claxton was already having the best season of his career even before Durant went down. However, the fourth-year center took it up a notch of late with KD down and out.

There's no denying that the Nets have struggled without their superstar in the mix, and the fact that they lost their first four games without Kevin Durant is a clear testament to this fact. However, Brooklyn has since logged back-to-back wins, and Claxton was integral in both victories. Nets fans will be hoping that Claxton keeps his foot on the gas moving forward.