Brooklyn Nets: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Alec Liebsch
Nicolas Claxton pick
You already know front offices were groaning about this selection. How Nicolas Claxton fell out of the first round is inexplicable; he’s a talented player with a unique skill set.
He should’ve been drafted higher solely based on his physical profile. At nearly 7’0″ and 217 pounds with a 7’2.5 wingspan, Claxton has the ideal dimensions for a modern center.
He also plays like a contemporary 5; nearly 30 percent of his points were generated off cuts and in transition, per Synergy. Claxton also exhibited a driving game, something that most men of his ilk aren’t able to do.
This is because of his fluid athleticism. Claxton has great range for a player of his size, and exhibits a lot of advanced moves (for a center) in space.
His shooting mechanics look good, especially for a 5, but the results aren’t there yet; Claxton only connected on 30.2 percent of his threes over two years at Georgia.
He’s able to fill myriad roles due to his intellect. Claxton is a good passer when asked to be (12.6 assist percentage), a result of playing in Tom Crean’s egalitarian offense.
Claxton’s physical profile helps him on defense, too. His size doesn’t slow him down, which will help him survive on switches. That wingspan is immensely helpful as well, especially when combined with his IQ; he could be an underrated steal threat in passing lanes.
Though Claxton got into foul trouble a lot, that’s a very fixable flaw at the next level. His brains and brawn, combined with the Brooklyn Nets’ great development staff, could be alleviate that weakness in record time.
These elements will help him earn minutes very quickly, even with Allen and DeAndre Jordan (more on him later) eating up time. Even if he starts out with Hands in the G League, he shouldn’t need too much seasoning. Excellent pick.