For the primary time in eight years, Nic Claxton lately lower his hair. As an alternative of the longer dreadlocks he as soon as had, the Nets middle is now sporting one thing resembling a buzz lower.
“I simply wanted a recent begin,” Claxton mentioned. “And I dyed it blonde and messed it up. I simply wished to have a recent look.”
The recent begin additionally applies to the court docket. Claxton, 23, goes into his fourth season within the league, and will probably be his most pivotal. For the primary time, he’s anticipated to get an opportunity to start out full-time at middle and with a wholesome lineup round him, the expectation is there might be extra room through which to function.
The Nets are coming into this season with a wholesome and out there Massive 3 (Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons), and Joe Harris, too, is again after ankle points derailed his 2021-22 season. After a yr through which nothing about who the Nets placed on the ground every night time was constant, and it not often included a lot exterior capturing, that must be a boon to Claxton.
“That’s gonna make my job lots simpler, simply having these shooters, groups aren’t gonna have the ability to clog the lane as a lot,” Claxton mentioned following Wednesday’s apply. “Final yr, we had just a few lineups the place we didn’t stretch the ground as properly, however this yr having these guys out there may be gonna open up the lane and it’s gonna be one-on-one.”
It’s nonetheless fairly early within the course of, with the Nets readying for his or her second preseason sport on Thursday towards Miami, however the tone is optimistic. Claxton has handled accidents of his personal up to now, enjoying simply 47 video games final season, and mentioned specializing in his physique and staying out there is an emphasis coming into this season. His work in the course of the summer season is exhibiting up to this point.
“His professionalism, I feel, has taken a step,” coach Steve Nash mentioned. “His consideration to element, his consistency, I feel you see the advantages. It looks like he can play longer stretches at excessive depth. He’s somewhat stronger, extra bodily in site visitors. We’re simply gonna continue to grow his understanding of the sport and situational consciousness.”
The precise look of the Nets’ offense with Simmons, Durant and Irving all on the ground, presumably with Claxton and Harris filling out the remainder of the beginning 5, remains to be an open query. Even with Simmons and Claxton — two non-shooters — the spacing must be higher than it was for many of final season.
Nash mentioned they used “fairly an enormous chunk” of the playbook within the preseason opener, a loss to the 76ers on Monday, however it’s clear there may be nonetheless lots to easy out.
It was notable, too, that Nash talked about the workforce’s buy-in — no less than concerning sure components of the offense — being at a better degree than final season, when the Nets’ season went off the rails and resulted in a disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Celtics.
“I really like the best way we’re enjoying on offense proper now,” Claxton mentioned. “Like Steve mentioned, the ball’s not sticking, we’re making an attempt to have extra movement. That’s gonna make us lots more durable to protect. We have now the expertise, we now have good shooters.
“Simply me personally, I’m making an attempt to make myself a risk as a lot as I can on the market on the court docket, beginning the break and doing what I do. Proceed to construct.”
Irving and his spouse, Marlene Wilkerson, welcomed a brand new baby on Tuesday. Nash mentioned Irving’s availability for Thursday’s sport is but to be decided. In any other case, Nash is anticipating an analogous rotation to Monday’s sport.
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