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With the Brooklyn Nets heading home after a long and successful 5-game road trip out West, three new faces earned real-deal floor time against the Sacramento Kings. Nicolas Claxton, Andre Roberson, and Iman Shumpert were thrown into the fire against the frisky Kings during Brooklyn’s 127-118 victory over Sacramento.
This was Nicolas Claxton’s first bit of NBA action since February 20th, 2020 –– an away game against the Atlanta Hawks. His last game at Barclays was a month earlier when he scored 15 points against the 76ers.
Clax, of course, has been out with a variety of injuries, including arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder during the NBA “bubble” and right knee tendinopathy during training camp. As for Andre Roberson, he’s missed a majority of the last three seasons due to a devastating knee injury, though he did earn some time in the NBA “bubble” with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Iman Shumpert last played for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2019-2020 season but was waived on December 12th, 2019 to clear space for Wilson Chandler, who was coming off a 25-game suspension at that time.
In this video, I evaluated how each player looked against the Kings, touching specifically on Nicolas Claxton’s perimeter versatility and upside as a switching defender, while also analyzing his raw but enticing offensive skillset. I also detailed Andre Roberson’s general know-how on the defensive side of the ball, outlining possible situations in which the 29-year-old could see more time on the floor. And then finally, I briefly analyzed Iman Shumpert’s limited time on the court against Sacramento.
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