Nets’ Nic Claxton trade rumors: ‘You learn to just kind of shut it out’

BROOKLYN — Nic Claxton knows the drill of trade deadline season. The Nets big man has lived it before and after Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, he found himself mentioned among the trade rumors with the deadline less than 36 hours away.

As the Nets were trying to pull out a win over the Clippers on Monday night, a report from HoopsHype was published that mentioned that the Toronto Raptors coveted Claxton. The Nets and Raptors had been linked earlier in the day as Brooklyn tried to expand the Kyrie Irving trade to include a third team and some added pieces, but nothing came of it.

“I haven’t been traded yet. But last year, I was close and who knows,” Claxton said. “You know, you’ve never really know in this business. So it’s just one of those things that as you go through the process and you see your name in different trade talks, you learn to just kind of shut it out and just show up to work every day.”

The Raptors had offered a first-round pick last season to try and pry Claxton away from the Nets. And the chatter had picked up so much so that Claxton told reporters last year that he thought he would be traded.

This time around the big man is trying to learn from that experience in order not to get too caught up in it all.

“It definitely can be a lot on you mentally8 if you give into it,” Claxton said. “But you just got to stay focused and keep the main thing the main thing. Control what you can control. A lot of times that’s easier said than done, but at the end of the day we all have a job to do. You got to come out and produce and yeah, I mean, it can be toxic if you let it, for sure.”

Claxton later added: “That can make you want to show your worth a little more when you’re when your name is called and it’s just a part of the journey.”

It’s understandable why the Raptors would be interested in Claxton. He has had a dramatic turnaround this year and quickly become one of the Nets’ best players while transforming into a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

In Monday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Claxton put up 11 points and 11 rebounds, registering his team-high 20th double-double of the season. Claxton recorded a double-double in two straight games and in nine of his last 12.

The Nets are expected to be heavily involved in trade talks as the deadline approaches on Thursday and that could send any number of players elsewhere as the Nets look to improve their roster. Head coach Jacque Vaughn had a very simple message for his players that were watching all the rumors.

“I think our message was pretty simple of being present. What you can take care of is, is being here in the now and that was our message before the game.” Vaughn said. “Not sure what’s going to happen a week from now. A couple of days from now. Not even concerned about it. Not going to speculate with the group. Hopefully, we’ll two dudes tomorrow to be able to help the group, but beyond that, this group… last thing I told them was expect to win. The expectations don’t change. Tomorrow we lace them up. We expect to win.”