The Brooklyn Nets will host two familiar faces during the 2026-27 regular season: Ziaire Williams, who signed with the Los Angeles Lakers after Brooklyn declined his option, and Nicolas Claxton, who was traded away in a deal that brought Julius Randle to Brooklyn. Those matchups are scheduled for Feb. 4 (Lakers) and Nov. 18 and Jan. 4 (Bulls), offering fans multiple chances to see former players return to the Barclays Center.
- Ziaire Williams will return to Barclays Center on Feb. 4 after signing with the Lakers following Brooklyn’s decision to decline his .25m option.
- Nicolas Claxton will make at least two returns to Brooklyn (Nov. 18 and Jan. 4) after being traded to the Chicago Bulls in a four-team deal that brought Julius Randle to the Nets.
- The games are notable both for fanfare and because they highlight Brooklyn’s offseason strategy: prioritising youth and reshaping the frontcourt around incoming veteran pieces.
What the schedule says
According to reporting on the Nets’ schedule, Brooklyn will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 4 — the game that will mark Ziaire Williams’ return to Brooklyn while wearing a different uniform. The Nets’ home dates against the Chicago Bulls are Nov. 18 and Jan. 4; Nicolas Claxton’s move to Chicago in a four-team trade makes the earlier of those two dates his first likely return to Barclays as a Bull.
How each departure happened
Brooklyn declined Williams’ $6.25 million team option on June 28, which made him an unrestricted free agent. He later signed a one-year, $3 million veteran’s minimum deal with the Lakers on July 13. Williams spent two seasons with the Nets and averaged 10.1 points and 1.2 steals while shooting 34.2% from three-point range during his Brooklyn tenure.
Claxton’s departure was part of a larger roster move: he was included in a four-team trade that sent him to the Chicago Bulls and brought veteran forward Julius Randle to Brooklyn from Minnesota. Claxton was the longest-tenured Net at the time of the trade; Brooklyn selected him 31st overall in 2019 and he developed into a starting center and regular rim protector, producing his breakout season in 2022-23 when he averaged 12.6 points and 9.2 rebounds.
What these returns mean for the Nets
The two games carry different symbolic and practical weight for Brooklyn. Williams’ Feb. 4 return is likely to be a warm, low-drama moment: a young wing who played a rotational role for two seasons departing after the team committed to developing recent draft picks. As coach Jordi Fernández reportedly prioritized minutes for the club’s five first-round selections, Williams’ playing time pattern late in games — a starter for the first three quarters, then out in the fourth — was read by some observers as an early signal of the club’s direction.
Claxton’s return is a more consequential storyline. He had emerged as a defensive anchor and, at his best, a top shot-blocker in the league. Brooklyn’s trade that acquired Randle provided an established scorer and frontcourt veteran but created a vacancy at starting center. The team plans to give Day’Ron Sharpe an opportunity in that role entering training camp, according to reporting. Claxton’s first trip back — the Nov. 18 home date — will therefore be watched not just for fanfare but for on-court matchups and the contrast between Brooklyn’s new frontcourt construction and the player who had anchored it for much of the past several seasons.
Timeline and context
- June 28: Brooklyn declines Ziaire Williams’ $6.25 million team option (reported).
- July 13: Williams signs a one-year, $3 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers (reported).
- Offseason (date reported in coverage): Nicolas Claxton included in a four-team trade sending him to the Chicago Bulls while Brooklyn acquires Julius Randle.
- 2026-27 schedule: Nets host Bulls Nov. 18 and Jan. 4; Nets host Lakers Feb. 4.
Assumptions, trade-offs and limitations
Scheduling can be subject to change; the dates above reflect the published 2026-27 regular-season slate as reported. The article does not and cannot confirm ticketing, promotional plans or how the Nets organization will recognize Williams or Claxton on those nights — teams frequently plan tributes or acknowledgments, but those are club decisions announced separately.
On-court roles and rotations mentioned here — such as Day’Ron Sharpe being positioned to take on a larger center role — are taken from reporting and indicate intent heading into training camp. Actual playing time will depend on coaching decisions, roster health and midseason transactions, which are beyond the evidence in this packet.
Practical implications for fans and local interest
For Brooklyn supporters, each return offers a distinct experience. The Nov. 18 and Jan. 4 games against Chicago are opportunities to see how the Nets matchup with a team that now employs one of their former cores’ defensive anchors. Claxton’s presence on the Bulls gives those evenings significance for fans who followed his rise from second-round pick to starter.
The Feb. 4 meeting with the Lakers is likely to draw attention because of Williams’ move to a high-profile franchise and the national interest that follows Lakers matchups. Fans should expect those dates to be among the more notable home games on the Nets’ calendar and to watch for how Brooklyn’s younger core — including the team’s recent draft picks and players such as Mikel Brown Jr. and Egor Dëmin, who have been described as foundational pieces — performs against familiar opponents.
Bottom line
Brooklyn will get multiple chances next season to welcome back two players who played meaningful roles in recent years. Ziaire Williams returns on Feb. 4 as a member of the Lakers after Brooklyn declined his option and he signed elsewhere; Nicolas Claxton will visit early and midseason (Nov. 18 and Jan. 4) as part of his move to the Chicago Bulls in a multi-team trade. Those games matter both for nostalgia and for on-court evaluation of how the Nets’ offseason decisions — embracing youth and acquiring a veteran forward — will play out during the 2026-27 campaign.
