Nets not rushing Nic Claxton back to starter’s workload

Nic Claxton has been relegated to coming disconnected nan chair arsenic he builds up his conditioning.

And while coach Jordi Fernandez won’t opportunity erstwhile he’ll commencement nan halfway again, it intelligibly won’t beryllium until Claxton’s minutes regularisation is eased.

A hamstring wounded sidelined Claxton for nan full preseason, and nan Nets capacity squad has put him connected a strict minutes limit done their first 2 regular-season games.

Claxton logged conscionable 15:25 disconnected nan chair successful nan opener earlier seeing that boosted to a coagulated 20:26 outing Friday successful Orlando.

Hawks guardant Zaccharie Risacher (10) tries to get position connected Brooklyn Nets halfway Nic Claxton (33) during nan 2nd half astatine State Farm Arena. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Granted, Claxton theoretically might’ve played much successful nan opener if he hadn’t gotten ejected successful nan 4th fourth for an ill-advised clothesline against nan Hawks. But it does look arsenic if he could spot his playing clip summation successful Sunday’s location opener against nan Bucks.

“We person to measure really his assemblage feels. Then erstwhile that happens, past we tin measure nan adjacent step,” Fernandez said. “My thought is, whenever we can, he’s gonna rest. Then his body’s gonna show america really he’s doing. We tin summation nan minutes, obviously. … We want him to play starting minutes, but we person to beryllium smart pinch it. Health is No. 1 for everybody, not conscionable for Nic successful minutes.”

There is simply a period wherever a coach could commencement a subordinate and usage him successful shorter spurts and beryllium imaginative successful his rotations.

But Fernandez sounds disinclined to put Claxton backmost into nan lineup until he’s cleared to log starter’s minutes — astatine slightest 24 minutes and perchance topping 30. It’s unclear erstwhile that mightiness be.

Magic halfway Moritz Wagner (21) goes to nan handbasket against Brooklyn Nets halfway Nic Claxton (33) during nan 2nd half astatine Kia Center. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

“Obviously, you tin beryllium creative. But if you spell to starter minutes, past it’s location astir debased 30s, because I deliberation if you do more, wellness is an issue,” Fernandez said. “But for me, starters usually play starting astatine 24 each nan measurement to 33-34, that range.”

Ben Simmons has been starting astatine halfway done nan preseason and nan first 2 losses of nan regular season. Backup halfway Day’Ron Sharpe is retired for astatine slightest different month.

The Nets person dropped their past 3 location openers, tying nan longest specified skid successful squad history (done twice, from 1991-93 and 1987-89).

Brooklyn is successful nan midst of a five-game losing skid against nan Bucks, making love backmost to their past triumph connected Dec. 23, 2022.

Cam Johnson has started nan play pinch a acold touch, averaging 13.0 points but shooting conscionable 36.4 percent and 18.8 from down nan arc.

He was conscionable 4-for-12 wide connected Friday successful Orlando and 2-for-10 from deep.

“[Orlando] went connected a run, and it benignant of sewage distant from us,” Johnson said. “We’ve conscionable sewage to beryllium amended astatine erstwhile things aren’t going our way, responding nan correct way.”

Cam Thomas is averaging 30.0 points connected .477/.556/.889 shooting splits. Most of that accumulation (16.0 points) has really travel conscionable successful nan 4th quarter.