Nic Claxton said he felt he “kicked the door down” when speaking about his ranking among NBA centers following a breakout 2022-23 season. The 24-year-old's two-way performance earned him his first appearance on an NBA Top 100 list at No. 79 on CBS Sports' rankings. Claxton also earned the 87th spot on ClutchPoints' Top 100 ahead of 2023-24.

CBS Sports' list ranks Claxton ahead of several rising big men, such as Walker Kessler, Rob Williams and Alperen Sengun, while placing him three spots behind DeAndre Ayton.

Claxton emerged as one of the league's top young centers in 2022-23, averaging 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 2.5 blocks, all career-highs. Defensively, he routinely overwhelmed the NBA's top scorers on switches and weakside rotations, tying Jaren Jackson Jr. for the league lead in stocks (steals + blocks) with 254 and finishing 10th in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

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That leap was not limited to the defensive end. Claxton also led the NBA in field goal percentage (70.5), making significant strides as a self-creator and finisher. He flashed an array of crafty moves on short rolls, fastbreaks, putbacks and duck-ins.

The primary deficiency of Claxton's game remains his free-throw shooting. After struggling in the 2021 playoffs against Boston, he was unable to find his touch early last season, shooting 47 percent through January. However, after tweaking his form before the All-Star break, he closed the year shooting 65.3 percent.

While Claxton emerged as an elite perimeter defender last season, there are drawbacks to his play style and slender frame. The Nets' switch-heavy scheme left them vulnerable on the defensive glass, where they ranked 28th for the year. Those struggles loomed large during a first-round sweep against Philadelphia, with the 76ers winning the second-chance points battle 80-22.

Head coach Jacque Vaughn could incorporate more drop coverage against the pick-and-roll this season to keep Claxton in position for rebounds. The Nets big man also said adding weight to his frame will be a top priority this summer:

“Things that I want to focus on, definitely getting stronger. Adding some good muscle, that’s big for me,” Claxton said during his exit interview. “That's going to help my overall game.”

Claxton's future in Brooklyn is a pressing question mark for the Nets entering 2023-24. After signing a two-year deal last summer that will pay him $8.7 million this season, the former second-round pick is in line for a significant payday next offseason. This could leave GM Sean Marks in a difficult position after he signed Cam Johnson to a four-year, $94.5 million deal this summer, with Mikal Bridges already set to make $70 million over the next three years.

If Brooklyn hopes to go star-hunting in coming years, the NBA's new CBA makes it challenging to have multiple complementary pieces earning salaries in the $20M-$30M range by imposing harsh penalties on teams who exceed the second luxury tax apron. With the Nets one of more marquee names away from contenting, how Marks and Co. navigate Claxton's impending free agency will be a main storyline of the coming year.