The Brooklyn Nets have plenty of decisions to make this offseason as they seek to improve the team significantly following a 2025-26 NBA season in which they finished with a lowly 20-62 record. Brooklyn will have to decide who they will take with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, but could they sign forward Noah Clowney to his rookie-scale extension?
“Over the years, Brooklyn has taken care of some of their own drafted-and-developed players, while others haven’t been extended. Clowney may be more in the latter camp, like Day’Ron Sharpe was before him,” Keith Smith wrote on Clowney for Spotrac. Clowney, part of the 2023 NBA Draft class, is eligible to sign his rookie-scale extension, but it seems like Smith is projecting for the Nets to let Clowney test free-agency.
“The challenge for Clowney is that the rim-protecting, stretch-big archetype is still there, but it’s also still unrealized,” Smith continued on Clowney. “If he had shown just a bit more consistency on both ends, an extension might have come. As it is, the Nets will continue to prioritize flexibility and let things play out to restricted free agency in 2027.”
Clowney, 21, is coming off the best season of his career as he was put in a position to thrive while playing next to forward Michael Porter Jr. and center Nic Claxton in head coach Jordi Fernandez’s system. Clowney, the 21st overall pick in the 2023 draft, averaged 12.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and 32.9% from behind the three-point line.
The Nets have until one day before the 2026-27 regular season begins to sign Clowney to his extension so there’s still plenty of time for both sides to hash out something. If not, Clowney would be a restricted free-agent next season, which would still give Brooklyn the chance to retain him if he plays well this upcoming campaign. However, it seems like those around the league don’t believe that Clowney will get his rookie-scale extension.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets’ Noah Clowney projected to not sign rookie-scale extension
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire | USA TODAY Network
