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• Updated Jun 17, 2026 at 11:41pm

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 13: Head coach Steve Kerr speaks to Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during their game against the LA Clippers at Chase Center on April 13, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors could trade for center Nicolas Claxton to improve the roster at a relatively cheap cost. Most players on Golden State’s radar to join the roster will require trading too many draft picks and young talents to make it risky. The Brooklyn Nets would be looking to get one or two smaller assets in exchange for sending the Warriors a respected starting center.

Fadeaway World revealed the most realistic trade package for Golden State to land Claxton:

“Brooklyn Nets Receive: Will Richard, Gui Santos, 2032 first-round pick

Golden State Warriors Receive: Nicolas Claxton

What makes this fit fascinating is how Claxton’s skill set aligns with Steve Kerr‘s offensive system. While not a traditional playmaking center, Claxton has developed into a capable short-roll passer and decision-maker. He averaged a career-high 3.7 assists per game last season and was comfortable making plays for others.”

Will Richard and Gui Santos are both interesting young players, but neither seem ready to be a starting worthy player on a playoff team. The Warriors want to make the postseason and have at least an outside chance of making noise in the playoffs with Stephen Curry still playing at a high level. Trading two expendable players and a very distant pick would be a smaller price than most other Golden State potential trades.

Why Nic Claxton Is Perfect For Warriors

The limitations of Claxton are fine for a team like Golden State, who usually has great outside shooters all over the roster. Steve Kerr would likely have to split most of the minutes up between Claxton and Draymond Green since it will be hard for both to play together, unless Green has a strong shooting season.

However, Claxton is a better paint defender than anyone currently on the Warriors roster by a wide margin. Golden State would acquire someone able to play ideal center defense in Kerr’s system and contribute offensively, despite his flaws.

Claxton will just be asked to make open dunks coming from other teammates setting him up or making the next pass in the flow of the game. This past season showed Claxton taking on a bigger role in the weaker Nets’ offense and putting up more assists to make more sense in Kerr’s system.

Nets Would Love Warriors Future Pick

Brooklyn entered a rebuild after trading Mikal Bridges and realizing they couldn’t get far without a superstar on the roster. Claxton has been a mainstay for the team, but they’d absolutely trade him for one valuable draft pick.

Golden State is expected to be in poor shape by the 2030s since most expect Curry to either retire or finally drop off a little. The Nets have stockpiled future picks from the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks, so they’d clearly love to add a Warriors pick from the post-Curry era.

Michael Porter and Egor Demin are the only true building blocks that Brooklyn can sell their fan base on. It makes sense to get a great pick and take the chance of young lottery tickets, like Santos or Richard. Both of those players could replace Claxton’s minutes as the Nets aim to develop more young talent.