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There is a difference between not giving up an asset and actually getting value for your asset.
The Chicago Bulls may not have surrendered a first-round pick to acquire Nic Claxton. That doesn't necessarily mean they won the trade. In fact, that's exactly why SB Nation's criticism of the move deserves attention.
SB Nation ranked the move to as the No. 5 worst offseason decision in the NBA, arguing that Chicago should have received assets simply for absorbing Claxton's contract.
The Bulls entered the 2026 offseason with the most salary-cap space in the NBA. For a rebuilding team, that isn't simply money sitting on a spreadsheet. It's leverage, flexibility and an opportunity to make other teams pay Chicago for taking on contracts they desperately want off their books.
Instead, the Bulls used a significant chunk of that flexibility to take on Claxton from the Brooklyn Nets.
The question is this: Was Nic Claxton the best possible use of the Bulls' most valuable offseason resource?
Right now, that's incredibly difficult to defend.
The Bulls were rebuilding. They weren't one center away from contention, they weren't trying to squeeze one more championship run out of an aging roster and they didn't need to spend their cap space immediately just for the sake of making a move.
They had time.
More importantly, they had something other teams desperately wanted: cap space.
Around the NBA, cap space can be a weapon. Teams trying to shed salary, facilitate trades or create room for another move can be willing to attach draft capital or young players to contracts they desperately want off their books. The Bulls were in position to be that team.
Instead, they became the team absorbing the contract.
In the finalized four-team deal, Brooklyn received Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick, while Charlotte landed Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks. Chicago, meanwhile, acquired Claxton and sent Mouhamadou Gueye to Charlotte.
Chicago didn't give up a first-round pick, which is obviously important. But when multiple teams are walking away with meaningful assets and the Bulls are using their cap flexibility to absorb approximately $44 million over the next two seasons, it's fair to ask: Where is Chicago's compensation for doing so?
That's the heart of SB Nation's argument, and it's difficult to dismiss.
Now, this isn't about saying Nic Claxton can't play, because he has proved that he absolutely can.
The 6-foot-11 center has spent seven seasons in Brooklyn and has shown that he can be a legitimate defensive weapon. He's athletic, mobile, capable of switching across positions and has been an effective rim protector at his best.
The problem is that Chicago isn't acquiring the best version of Claxton.
Last season, Claxton averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 57.1% from the field. He also shot just 15.8% from three.
Those numbers aren't disastrous, but they're not exactly what you'd expect from a center owed roughly $44 million over the next two seasons. And his lack of shooting makes the rest of his game even more important.
If you're going to play a non-shooting center in today's NBA, he needs to dominate in the areas where he can make an impact: protect the rim, switch defensively, finish efficiently and rebound.
That's where the concern gets louder.
SB Nation pointed out that Claxton finished in just the 27th percentile in defensive rebounding rate last season. For a center of his stature and height, that's not a small blemish, but rather a pretty noticeable problem.
Mar 16, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) dribbles up court against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
There was a time when Claxton looked like exactly the kind of center a rebuilding team would want.
In 2022-23, he averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 70.5% from the field. That version of Claxton made sense: a long, athletic center who could protect the rim, switch defensively and finish efficiently.
But Chicago isn't paying for what Claxton was three years ago. It's paying for what he can become over the next two seasons.
There are legitimate questions about whether he'll get back there. A back injury has slowed Claxton down in recent seasons, and his production has slipped from his peak. His rebounding, in particular, has become a concern.
That's the gamble Chicago is making, and it's a gamble made considerably more questionable by the fact that the Bulls didn't need to make it immediately.
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) reacts during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
There's another layer to this move that makes it even more curious.
The Bulls already have Jalen Smith and Zach Collins in their frontcourt. Now they've added Claxton, giving Chicago three centers competing for minutes without an obvious long-term franchise answer at the position.
If Claxton becomes the defensive anchor the Bulls envision, great. But if Smith continues to provide more offensive value and Collins remains productive when healthy, Chicago could eventually find itself paying Claxton more than $20 million annually to be its third-best center.
That's not necessarily how things will play out, but it's a possibility the Bulls have to consider. For a rebuilding team with so much cap flexibility, that's a strange position to find itself in.
This is where the Bulls’ decision becomes especially difficult to justify.
Chicago didn't have to make this move. The Bulls had the luxury of time, and more importantly, they had the kind of cap flexibility that could become increasingly valuable as the offseason developed. There was no reason to believe they needed to immediately turn that flexibility into a center who doesn't space the floor and is coming off a concerning year on the glass.
Instead of waiting for the market to come to them, the Bulls chose to act.
They could have held onto their cap space and waited for a team to become desperate to shed salary. They could have absorbed an undesirable contract in exchange for a future pick, targeted a young player or facilitated another team's trade and demanded compensation for making the deal possible. Those opportunities don't always materialize, but that's precisely why preserving flexibility matters for a rebuilding team.
Once Chicago committed approximately $44 million over the next two seasons to Claxton, that flexibility was gone.
And that's the real cost of this move.
It's not simply the money owed to Claxton. It's everything Chicago potentially can't do with that money anymore.
For a team trying to build through young talent and accumulate assets, cap space is an asset in itself. The Bulls didn't have to spend it just because they had it. They had the opportunity to wait for a better deal.
They chose not to.
Feb 27, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball over Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
That's ultimately why the Claxton move deserves scrutiny.
The Bulls aren't trying to win 50 games next season. They're building around a young core that includes Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and Dailyn Swain. The goal should be to accumulate assets, preserve flexibility and give that young core as many opportunities as possible to develop.
That doesn't mean every transaction has to bring back a draft pick. It means every transaction needs to serve the rebuild.
And that's where this deal becomes difficult to love.
Chicago essentially used one of its biggest rebuilding assets of cap flexibility to acquire a player who may not even be the long-term answer at his position.
That's a tough equation.
Feb 9, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) shoots the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
It would be unfair to completely bury the move before Claxton even plays a game in Chicago.
The Bulls didn't give up a first-round pick. They didn't trade Buzelis. They didn't sacrifice Wilson or another major young piece. Claxton is also still only 27, and if he stays healthy, returns to his previous defensive form and becomes the rim-protecting, switchable center Chicago believes he can be, this conversation could look very different a year from now.
There's also a path where Claxton becomes a useful trade chip himself. If his value rises, Chicago could eventually flip him for an asset and make the original move look much smarter.
That possibility matters.
But until then, the Bulls are asking fans to trust that the player will become worth the opportunity cost of using their cap space on him. And rebuilding teams shouldn't have to rely on that much optimism when they hold all the leverage.
Apr 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) dunks the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Calling the Claxton acquisition one of the worst moves of the entire NBA offseason is probably too extreme.
Calling it a questionable use of Chicago's cap space? Absolutely.
The Bulls had the league's most valuable financial resource. They didn't need to chase a star, force a move or fill a hole that was preventing them from competing. They had the luxury of waiting.
They could have made another team pay them to absorb a contract.
Instead, they took on Nic Claxton.
Maybe he proves SB Nation wrong. Maybe he gets healthy, returns to his previous level and becomes a defensive anchor for Chicago. If that happens, the criticism will fade quickly.
But if Claxton struggles, the Bulls won't just have an expensive center. They'll have something much more frustrating: the reminder that they had the leverage to get something for their cap space, and chose not to.
For a rebuilding team, that's the kind of opportunity cost that can linger long after the contract is gone.
Continue reading...
The Chicago Bulls may not have surrendered a first-round pick to acquire Nic Claxton. That doesn't necessarily mean they won the trade. In fact, that's exactly why SB Nation's criticism of the move deserves attention.
SB Nation ranked the move to as the No. 5 worst offseason decision in the NBA, arguing that Chicago should have received assets simply for absorbing Claxton's contract.
The Bulls entered the 2026 offseason with the most salary-cap space in the NBA. For a rebuilding team, that isn't simply money sitting on a spreadsheet. It's leverage, flexibility and an opportunity to make other teams pay Chicago for taking on contracts they desperately want off their books.
Instead, the Bulls used a significant chunk of that flexibility to take on Claxton from the Brooklyn Nets.
The question is this: Was Nic Claxton the best possible use of the Bulls' most valuable offseason resource?
Right now, that's incredibly difficult to defend.
Cap Space Was the Asset
The Bulls were rebuilding. They weren't one center away from contention, they weren't trying to squeeze one more championship run out of an aging roster and they didn't need to spend their cap space immediately just for the sake of making a move.
They had time.
More importantly, they had something other teams desperately wanted: cap space.
Around the NBA, cap space can be a weapon. Teams trying to shed salary, facilitate trades or create room for another move can be willing to attach draft capital or young players to contracts they desperately want off their books. The Bulls were in position to be that team.
Instead, they became the team absorbing the contract.
In the finalized four-team deal, Brooklyn received Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick, while Charlotte landed Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks. Chicago, meanwhile, acquired Claxton and sent Mouhamadou Gueye to Charlotte.
Chicago didn't give up a first-round pick, which is obviously important. But when multiple teams are walking away with meaningful assets and the Bulls are using their cap flexibility to absorb approximately $44 million over the next two seasons, it's fair to ask: Where is Chicago's compensation for doing so?
That's the heart of SB Nation's argument, and it's difficult to dismiss.
Claxton Isn't the Problem
Now, this isn't about saying Nic Claxton can't play, because he has proved that he absolutely can.
The 6-foot-11 center has spent seven seasons in Brooklyn and has shown that he can be a legitimate defensive weapon. He's athletic, mobile, capable of switching across positions and has been an effective rim protector at his best.
The problem is that Chicago isn't acquiring the best version of Claxton.
Last season, Claxton averaged 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 57.1% from the field. He also shot just 15.8% from three.
Those numbers aren't disastrous, but they're not exactly what you'd expect from a center owed roughly $44 million over the next two seasons. And his lack of shooting makes the rest of his game even more important.
If you're going to play a non-shooting center in today's NBA, he needs to dominate in the areas where he can make an impact: protect the rim, switch defensively, finish efficiently and rebound.
That's where the concern gets louder.
SB Nation pointed out that Claxton finished in just the 27th percentile in defensive rebounding rate last season. For a center of his stature and height, that's not a small blemish, but rather a pretty noticeable problem.
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Mar 16, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) dribbles up court against the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Old Claxton
There was a time when Claxton looked like exactly the kind of center a rebuilding team would want.
In 2022-23, he averaged 12.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 70.5% from the field. That version of Claxton made sense: a long, athletic center who could protect the rim, switch defensively and finish efficiently.
But Chicago isn't paying for what Claxton was three years ago. It's paying for what he can become over the next two seasons.
There are legitimate questions about whether he'll get back there. A back injury has slowed Claxton down in recent seasons, and his production has slipped from his peak. His rebounding, in particular, has become a concern.
That's the gamble Chicago is making, and it's a gamble made considerably more questionable by the fact that the Bulls didn't need to make it immediately.
You must be registered for see images attach
Mar 27, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) reacts during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
A Crowded Frontcourt
There's another layer to this move that makes it even more curious.
The Bulls already have Jalen Smith and Zach Collins in their frontcourt. Now they've added Claxton, giving Chicago three centers competing for minutes without an obvious long-term franchise answer at the position.
If Claxton becomes the defensive anchor the Bulls envision, great. But if Smith continues to provide more offensive value and Collins remains productive when healthy, Chicago could eventually find itself paying Claxton more than $20 million annually to be its third-best center.
That's not necessarily how things will play out, but it's a possibility the Bulls have to consider. For a rebuilding team with so much cap flexibility, that's a strange position to find itself in.
The Cost of Acting Early
This is where the Bulls’ decision becomes especially difficult to justify.
Chicago didn't have to make this move. The Bulls had the luxury of time, and more importantly, they had the kind of cap flexibility that could become increasingly valuable as the offseason developed. There was no reason to believe they needed to immediately turn that flexibility into a center who doesn't space the floor and is coming off a concerning year on the glass.
Instead of waiting for the market to come to them, the Bulls chose to act.
They could have held onto their cap space and waited for a team to become desperate to shed salary. They could have absorbed an undesirable contract in exchange for a future pick, targeted a young player or facilitated another team's trade and demanded compensation for making the deal possible. Those opportunities don't always materialize, but that's precisely why preserving flexibility matters for a rebuilding team.
Once Chicago committed approximately $44 million over the next two seasons to Claxton, that flexibility was gone.
And that's the real cost of this move.
It's not simply the money owed to Claxton. It's everything Chicago potentially can't do with that money anymore.
For a team trying to build through young talent and accumulate assets, cap space is an asset in itself. The Bulls didn't have to spend it just because they had it. They had the opportunity to wait for a better deal.
They chose not to.
You must be registered for see images attach
Feb 27, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots the ball over Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
What the Rebuild Needs
That's ultimately why the Claxton move deserves scrutiny.
The Bulls aren't trying to win 50 games next season. They're building around a young core that includes Caleb Wilson, Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey, and Dailyn Swain. The goal should be to accumulate assets, preserve flexibility and give that young core as many opportunities as possible to develop.
That doesn't mean every transaction has to bring back a draft pick. It means every transaction needs to serve the rebuild.
And that's where this deal becomes difficult to love.
Chicago essentially used one of its biggest rebuilding assets of cap flexibility to acquire a player who may not even be the long-term answer at his position.
That's a tough equation.
You must be registered for see images attach
Feb 9, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) shoots the ball against Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) during the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Case for Claxton
It would be unfair to completely bury the move before Claxton even plays a game in Chicago.
The Bulls didn't give up a first-round pick. They didn't trade Buzelis. They didn't sacrifice Wilson or another major young piece. Claxton is also still only 27, and if he stays healthy, returns to his previous defensive form and becomes the rim-protecting, switchable center Chicago believes he can be, this conversation could look very different a year from now.
There's also a path where Claxton becomes a useful trade chip himself. If his value rises, Chicago could eventually flip him for an asset and make the original move look much smarter.
That possibility matters.
But until then, the Bulls are asking fans to trust that the player will become worth the opportunity cost of using their cap space on him. And rebuilding teams shouldn't have to rely on that much optimism when they hold all the leverage.
You must be registered for see images attach
Apr 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) dunks the ball against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The Verdict
Calling the Claxton acquisition one of the worst moves of the entire NBA offseason is probably too extreme.
Calling it a questionable use of Chicago's cap space? Absolutely.
The Bulls had the league's most valuable financial resource. They didn't need to chase a star, force a move or fill a hole that was preventing them from competing. They had the luxury of waiting.
They could have made another team pay them to absorb a contract.
Instead, they took on Nic Claxton.
Maybe he proves SB Nation wrong. Maybe he gets healthy, returns to his previous level and becomes a defensive anchor for Chicago. If that happens, the criticism will fade quickly.
But if Claxton struggles, the Bulls won't just have an expensive center. They'll have something much more frustrating: the reminder that they had the leverage to get something for their cap space, and chose not to.
For a rebuilding team, that's the kind of opportunity cost that can linger long after the contract is gone.
Continue reading...
