With the Los Angeles Lakers looking for a center upgrade in the offseason, one name has been floated as a potential trade candidate — Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed a trade that would send Claxton to the Lakers to become Luka Dončić’s lob partner and, at the same time, provide rim protection.
Swartz’s trade proposal:
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: C Nic Claxton
Brooklyn Nets Receive: SG Dalton Knecht, F Rui Hachimura, 2025 second-round pick
“Claxton, 26, would be a big upgrade over Hayes. He’s a potential defensive anchor who blocked 1.4 shots per game and held opponents to a solid 58.7 percent shooting at the rim this season to go along with 10.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game,” Swartz wrote.
The 26-year-old Claxton fits the Lakers’ timeline with Dončić, the new face of their franchise and is a major upgrade from Jaxson Hayes, who will enter unrestricted free agency after this season.
Claxton will enter the second season of a descending four-year, $97 million deal. He is due for $25.3 million next season and it decreases by $2 million as the salary cap increases, making it one of the best value contracts.
