"Boutta get punked by Draymond" - NBA fans roast Nic Claxton for getting inked inside lips

Ahead of Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton's free agency, a video of his new lip tattoo went viral on social media, sparking comical fan reactions.

Claxton is coming off his second season as the Nets' full-time starting big man. Many view him as the top center in this year's free agency class. Thus, he is expected to receive a significant raise from the two-year, $17.25 million contract he signed in 2022.

Days before the start of free agency, tattoo artist Tashawn Posey reportedly visited Claxton's Brooklyn home for a tattoo session. Claxton got the word, "Punk" tattooed on his inner lip in black letters.

On Tuesday, a clip of Nic Claxton showcasing his new ink made the rounds on X/Twitter. Afterward, NBA fans mocked his decision.

"There’s no good reason for this," @HaterReport_ said.

"Did he lose a bet?" @walkoff9 said.

"Please tell me this is fake," @spomuse said.

Meanwhile, others quipped about the tattoo being sufficient grounds for Brooklyn to let him walk in free agency.

"Yeah, let him go, LMAO," @N647764 said.

"This is who the Nets [are] about to give 25 [million] to, LMFAO," @Bxnchero said.

Some even joked that Claxton could be given a hard time by fellow players next season, like Golden State Warriors veteran forward Draymond Green.

"Boutta get punked by Draymond when he joins the Warriors," @_CurryWrld said.

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Brooklyn still likely to retain Nic Claxton despite seemingly entering rebuild

For the past few months, Brooklyn has been adamant about the importance of retaining Nic Claxton this summer. Following Tuesday's unexpected blockbuster trade sending star wing Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks, some speculated the franchise's mindset could change.

However, according to Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer, "the Nets are still likely to re-sign Claxton, despite what bills as a clear pivot toward a rebuild."

Coming off an 11th-place (32-50) Eastern Conference finish and lacking a true No. 1 scoring option, Brooklyn could be in store for a lengthy rebuild. However, Nic Claxton is only 25 years old, so he still has a chance to factor into the team's long-term plans.

In April, newly hired Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said Claxton "fits perfectly with what [they] want to do moving forward."

At the very least, Brooklyn could re-sign Claxton to retain him as an asset to flip later on for additional draft capital and/or young players.

Thus, it appears the franchise will offer him the $80 million to $100 million contract he is reportedly expected to command in free agency.

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