The offseason is officially underway for the Brooklyn Nets, and unlike previous years, they will not have to wait to get the ball rolling on free agency. The league's new collective bargaining agreement allows teams to negotiate with their own free agents the day after the final game of the season.
New deals have already been reported, with the Indiana Pacers signing Pascal Siakam to a four-year, $194.5 million max extension. With that, we look at the Nets‘ impending free agents and offer predictions on whether they'll return next season.
Do the Nets have competition for Nic Claxton?
Claxton represents one of Sean Marks' most successful development projects after the GM selected him 31st overall in 2019. The big man bet on himself during the 2022 offseason, signing a two-year, $17 million extension. And after ranking fourth in the NBA in stocks (steals + blocks) over the last two seasons, he is about to cash in.
Claxton is expected to command a four-year deal in the range of $20-$25 million annually, and all signs indicate the Nets will meet that price point. Multiple league executives told ClutchPoints the expectation is Claxton will return to Brooklyn. That shouldn't be very surprising when analyzing the NBA's cap space landscape.
Six teams project to have over $20 million in cap space: the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. Of those, only Oklahoma City needs a center. The Thunder have $33 million in cap space to make a competitive offer for the Nets big man. However, they've been linked to Isaiah Hartenstein far more than Claxton.
The Pistons, who lead the league with over $60 million in cap space, have also been discussed as a possibility for Claxton. However, they are in the middle of an organizational revamp, firing general manager Troy Weaver and replacing him with former Nets executive Trajan Langdon. Owner Tom Gores also fired head coach Monty Williams one year after handing him the largest coaching contract in NBA history.
Further, Detroit has a promising young center in Jalen Duren, who averaged 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds this season. They also signed Isaiah Stewart to a four-year, $60 million extension last summer. Would they overpay to lure Claxton after spending assets at the center position the previous two offseasons? And if they did, would Claxton sign up to join a team that only made headlines last year for an NBA-record losing streak and internal dysfunction?
It's not out of the realm of possibilities, but color me skeptical.
Prediction: Claxton re-signs with Brooklyn on a four-year, $92 million deal
Dennis Smith Jr. seeks multi-year contract
Smith Jr. joined Brooklyn for the minimum last summer after re-branding himself as an elite point-of-attack defender with the Charlotte Hornets. He built upon that reputation this season, ranking first among all point guards in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per DunksAndThrees.com. However, as has been the case throughout his career, his offensive deficiencies limited his role.
Smith averaged 6.6 points per game on 43.5 percent shooting. His lack of a three-point shot (25.1 percent on 1.7 attempts per game over the last three seasons) makes it challenging for him to run pick-and-roll or play off the ball.
Smith is seeking a multi-year deal this offseason, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto. It's difficult to envision a Brooklyn team with a glaring need for on-ball creation offering him that type of commitment. While the Nets were high on Smith's defensive impact, their 23rd-ranked offense needs an upgrade at backup point guard.
Prediction: Smith Jr. signs elsewhere, Nets sign another minimum point guard
Lonnie Walker looks for consistent role
After signing for the minimum, Walker looked like a potential Sixth Man of the Year candidate early this season. He averaged 15.7 points on 50/47/79 shooting splits off the bench over his first 15 appearances, leading the NBA among those playing 26 or fewer minutes per game. However, he missed a month due to a hamstring injury midway through the season and fell out of the rotation late in the year.
Walker has shown that he can score on a big stage. He averaged 10.6 points on 54 percent shooting from the field and 39 percent from three during the Lakers' 2022 second-round series against the Golden State Warriors. That included a 15-point fourth-quarter performance in Game 4 to give Los Angeles a 3-1 series lead.
His high-level start to the 2023-24 campaign may be enough to earn him a contract above the minimum. The 25-year-old told ClutchPoints he's looking for a team in free agency that will offer him a consistent, long-term role. It remains to be seen how newly hired head coach Jordi Fernandez views Walker, but it feels unlikely he would return after Brooklyn benched him down the stretch.
Prediction: Walker signs a multi-year deal elsewhere
Nets have Trendon Watford decision to make
Unlike the players listed above, the Nets can make Watford a restricted free agent by tendering him a qualifying offer by June 29. If they do so, they will have the right to match any offer made to him.
Watford played primarily small-ball center during his first two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. Brooklyn offered him a new role in 2023-24 as a primary ball-handler off the bench. The 23-year-old performed well despite inconsistent playing time, averaging 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 52.7 percent shooting in 13.6 minutes per game.
At 6-foot-8, Watford's ball-handling and finishing ability offer intriguing positional versatility. He's comfortable initiating offense but can also act as a hub at center, faking DHOs into drives or using his floater to finish in the short roll. The LSU product flashed these skills while receiving extended minutes during an 11-game stretch to close the season, averaging 12.9 points and 2.2 assists on 54 percent shooting.
Watford's ability to carve out a consistent NBA role will likely depend on him developing his three-point shot. While he has a smooth stroke, he was often unwilling to pull the trigger this season, shooting 39.7 percent on 1.1 attempts per game. He began expanding his range over his final 11 appearances, shooting 11-of-25 (44 percent) from distance.
The Nets have a glaring need for ball-handling, given Ben Simmons' lack of availability over the last two seasons. However, Watford presents an awkward fit as a non-floor-spacing point-forward. Brooklyn should be interested in bringing him back as a developmental piece, but he may be seeking a more steady role in 2024-25 as he attempts to secure his place in the NBA long-term.
Prediction: Watford signs a multi-year deal elsewhere
Based on these predictions, you're likely asking: how can Brooklyn replace these players? The Nets will have the $12.9 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception available in free agency. It can be used to sign one player or broken up to sign multiple. However, they will avoid the luxury tax in 2024-25 to reset a CBA clause known as the repeater tax.
The Nets have 11 players under contract and $37 million in space below the tax line before signing Claxton. Assuming they bring back the big man on a deal in the $20-$25 million range, they will have $12-$17 million in space left to fill three roster spots. Barring a move to dump salary to a team with a trade exception, Brooklyn will again be on a tight budget in free agency.
Follow Us
Subscribe