Ziaire Clowney has done something Brooklyn has to love: he’s gotten better every year.
The 21st pick in the 2023 draft has built a clean upward track record, with his production climbing across the board. He went from 5.8 points to 12.3, from 16.1 minutes to 27, and from four starts to 60 last season. His rebounds and assists have also risen each year, giving the Nets a young forward whose growth has been steady rather than sporadic.
That progression has pushed Clowney into an important spot in Brooklyn’s long-term picture. He is now one of the team’s most significant free agents next season, and the front office has every reason to keep a close eye on what comes next.
A big part of his leap has come at the foul line. Clowney became far more aggressive as a downhill driver and turned that into a career year getting to the stripe. Coach Thorpe on Substack pointed out just how rare that company is for a player his age.
“Only three players 21 or younger averaged at least 12 points and took at least 3.4 or more free throws per game: Clowney, Cooper Flagg, and Stephon Castle," Thorpe wrote last Saturday. And he did that in only 27 minutes per game."
Clowney also posted the highest foul-drawing frequency at 18.5%, ahead of several established young stars, including the New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns at 16.4%, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards at 15.2% and the Orlando Magic's Paolo Banchero at 13.8%.
He has given credit for that development to Jordi Fernández and Deividas Dulkys, saying they helped him stay even-keeled and live with the results of his work through wins and losses.
The next step won’t come easily. Brooklyn acquired Julius Randle from the Timberwolves in a four-team trade, and the 31-year-old is the starting power forward in the season opener against the Charlotte Hornets. That leaves Clowney as Randle’s backup, which should mean fewer starts and a bigger need to make his minutes count.
Even so, the Nets have seen enough to know the stakes. Clowney is entering the final season of his four-year, $15.15 million deal and qualifies for a rookie scale extension. He has made a strong case for the organization to invest in him.
Brooklyn has not had this kind of year-to-year growth since drafting Cam Thomas in 2021, and the team would be wise to keep Clowney in the fold before another team has a chance to come calling.
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