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Patty Mills, Nic Claxton returning to Nets after tumultuous start to free agency

Patty Mills
Erik Drost, Wikimedia Commons

Brooklyn Nets fans were looking for any sort of good news after Kevin Durant’s trade request became public hours before free agency opened on Thursday. So news that Patty Mills would be back and a report that Nic Claxton had been locked up for two years will have to suffice. 

Mills re-signed with the Nets on a new two-year, $14.5 million deal, Adrian Wojnarowski reported. Restricted free agent Nic Claxton also signed a new two-year, $20 million deal to stay in Brooklyn, according to the NBA insider. 

Claxton had been expected to return to the Nets and Mills, despite opting out the day before, had not ruled out returning to Kings County. 

Mills had become one of the Nets’ primary sharpshooters after Joe Harris was injured in November and missed the rest of the season because of the injury. In 48 games that he started, averaged 11.4 points per game and shot 40% from beyond the arc. The Aussie had averaged seven three-point attempts per game as well. 

Claxton had developed into a solid big man for the small 2021-22 Nets team and benefited from the COVID outbreak, which allowed him to see more playing time. 

In 47 games last season, Claxton averaged 8.7 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 blocks a game.