Nic Claxton was arguably Brooklyn’s best defender last season, and a starter at the beginning of this season. The ailing big man hasn’t played in about three weeks, and told The Post he probably won’t suit up for a couple more. 

“Yeah, I’m in the ramp-up stage right now. I’m reconditioning myself. I got sick, I lost a lot of weight,” Claxton told The Post at a Nets charity event in Brooklyn. “But I put the weight back on, and I’m feeling good and I’m hoping to be back within the next couple of weeks.” 

Claxton — who was giving out free turkeys at Cavalry Baptist Church in Red Hook — hasn’t played since Oct. 25 against Washington, having missed the past 13 games for the Nets and admitting he’s not going to play Monday in Cleveland either. 

With 215 pounds spread over an already lithe 6-foot-11 frame, Claxton could ill afford to get much leaner and was coy about how much weight he lost. 

The 22-year-old Claxton did have a bout with COVID-19 last season, entering health and safety protocols on April 19 and not playing again until May 4. But he was asymptomatic, and told The Post he’s not suffering from any COVID long-haul symptoms. The Nets have listed him as out with a non-COVID illness. 

“I was sick. That’s the extent I want to go with,” Claxton laughed when pressed on the nature of his illness. “I was sick. But I’m feeling better now. I’m getting back to where I need to be so I can get out there and play. I’m excited to get back out there with my teammates.” 

That will be a welcome sight for Brooklyn, whenever it does happen. Claxton’s ability to switch one-through-five on defense is a game-changer. 

For stretches of last season, Claxton was Brooklyn’s best defender, leading them in both defensive rating (102.1) and net rating (12.3), finishing fourth in plus-minus (plus-157). 

Of all players to appear in at least 25 games and average 15 minutes last season, Claxton’s defensive rating was the sixth-best in the entire league. The quintet ahead of him are all known for their work on that end of the floor — Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley Jr., Georges Niang, Alex Caruso and Mike Muscala. 

Now on a Nets squad that has remade their DNA and solidified their defense, there’s no reason to think Claxton couldn’t be even more effective on that end. At least, whenever he’s physically ready to play. 

When the Nets lost Kyrie Irving, it was Claxton who Steve Nash actually turned to and inserted into the starting lineup. 

Claxton started the first three games of the year, but struggled and was an aggregate minus-43. When Nash brought him off the bench against Washington, Claxton responded with his best performance of the season, a plus-21 in 16:16 with six points, eight rebounds and a couple of blocks. 

He hasn’t played since, with the Nets going with 6-foot-9, 250-pound Blake Griffin as a smallball five, backed up by LaMarcus Aldridge. Griffin is undersized and struggling on offense, and Aldridge can’t switch defensively. 

“For me, Nic’s got a ways to go. He’s got to really work on his conditioning. So I’m not sure when he’ll be back, or when he’ll be back with the necessary thrust and dynamic ability to play the game at this level,” Nash said. “So hopefully it’s not too long but I don’t think it’s in the next few games.” 

Claxton was with fellow Nets big man James Johnson (and Claxton’s father Charles) handing out turkeys Saturday in Brooklyn. The Nets and New York Liberty Foundation donated over 2,000 Thanksgiving meals this weekend to families struggling with food insecurity across three neighborhoods: Red Hook, East Flatbush and Brownsville. 

“It’s good to be able to come back into the city, back into Brooklyn and give back, just showing your face and showing that you care,” Claxton told The Post. “Because I remember when I was in the shoes of a lot of people here, so it’s good to be able to come back and give back.” 

“Yeah, it’s good to be able to come to events like this. Last year with the pandemic we weren’t able to do these things. So it’s good to be able to give back and showing your face, showing love.”