On the day of their season opener against the Charlotte Hornets, the Brooklyn Nets announced that they picked the 2026-27 team option for forward Noah Clowney. The 21-year-old will play this season in Brooklyn, as well as the next, after this decision.

Clowney, the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, has shown plenty of flashes in two seasons with the Nets. In 46 games, he averaged 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 22.7 minutes during the 2024-25 season.

The 6-foot-9 big man will be owed $3.4 million this season, and will make $5.4 million next season with the Nets having picked up his team option. Clowney will be an unrestricted free agent in 2027.

Brooklyn had until October 31 to make a decision on Clowney’s team option, but the organization decided to exercise it over a week before the deadline. The Nets have begun to value youth amid their rebuild, drafting plenty of young talent over the last two years. They have decided to keep those pieces around and build something for the future.

Clowney is expected to come off the bench behind Michael Porter Jr. at the power forward position. Brooklyn’s frontcourt is relatively crowded with names such as Porter, Nic Claxton, Day’Ron Sharpe, Danny Wolf and Ziaire Williams in competition with Clowney for minutes.

Nevertheless, as the Nets emphasize the youth movement, the former star at Alabama should get even more opportunities to shine as he develops.

One of Clowney’s biggest strengths is that he can stretch the floor, averaging nearly six three-point attempts per game last season. He can score from most areas on the court; it’s just about getting comfortable in the NBA and improving efficiency.

Having older players like Porter and Claxton in front of Clowney should also benefit him as he moves forward. They aren’t as old as some of the league’s best mentors, but Clowney is still learning the ropes of the league, having played just 69 games in two seasons. He has only started 24 games, 20 of those coming last season.

Brooklyn’s young core is growing, and this season will give the organization another opportunity to land a top draft pick. The Nets are expected to finish in the basement of the NBA, but that would benefit them in the long term.

Landing another star through the draft would continue their trajectory in this rebuild, setting them up for greatness down the road.