Lakers, Lakers trade, Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
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JJ Redick head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks with the team during the first quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on January 17, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.
The Los Angeles Lakers, who rank 25th in defensive rating, could reportedly pursue Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Per Hardwood Paroxysm’s Matt Moore, there’s chatter of the Nets and Lakers possibly working on a deal, with Michael Porter Jr. also mentioned as a Lakers trade target.
“Have heard about a lot of talks between the Lakers and Nets the past two years and they did the DFS trade already so there’s a relationship. Claxton would be a very good get, but there’s also the possibility of their going in for MPJ,” Moore wrote.
Claxton, one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, would be a huge get for a Lakers team that ranks 16th in opponent paint points (50.6) and 29th in blocked shots (4.0).
Lakers Need Ayton Upgrade?
Another concerning metric for the Lakers is that they rank dead-last in opponent pick-and-roll field goal percentage (.597) against the roll man, which is a huge red flag for their defensive pressure at the rim. By all accounts, Deandre Ayton and Jaxon Hayes, the Lakers’ two centers, have not been good enough at protecting the basket.
Claxton may not be as offensively skilled as Ayton, but he’d be a tremendous defensive upgrade for JJ Redick’s team. Besides being an elite rim protector and shot-blocker, he has the foot speed and lateral quickness to switch onto perimeter players and oftentimes negate two offensive threats at once.
Look no further than the fact that Claxton has anchored the Nets’ eighth-ranked defense since Dec. 1, during which time they’ve given up an impressive 113.2 points per 100 possessions. The Lakers rank No. 29 in the same timeframe. The Nets, in fact, ranked No. 1 in defense in December, when they held teams to a meager 105.4 points per 100 possessions while going 7-4 through 11 games.
Lakers Trade Target: Nic Claxton
The buzz surrounding Nic Claxton and the Lakers is not new.
In late November, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported that Claxton is on the Lakers’ trade target list since he fits the profile of a rim-runner and a lob-threat that franchise star Luka Doncic always thrives next to. Doncic had tremendous success playing next to similar players such as Daniel Gafford and Derreck Lively II in Dalas.
“Speaking of Claxton, it is worth mentioning that he has been a center on the Lakers’ wishlist dating back to last season,” Siegel reported on November 28.
“He is very much in play to be traded as one of the best center trade candidates before February,” added the insider.
The Nets are reportedly seeking at least one unprotected first-round pick for Claxton, who has three years left on the four-year, $97 million contract he signed with the Nets in June 2024. Hypothetically, a Lakers trade package could include the expiring deals of Rui Hachimura and/or Gabe Vincent, Dalton Khnect and their 2032 first-rounder.
Claxton is averaging a career-high 12.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on 59% shooting in his seventh season in Brooklyn.