NEW ORLEANS — This past summer, Nets fans questioned whether Nic Claxton could handle a full-time starter’s role and whether he was worth the contract the team have given him.

After turning in a career season so far — and sitting among the top 10 Eastern Conference frontcourt players in the first fan returns for All-Star voting — the 23-year-old Claxton has gone a long way toward answering both questions.

The recognition was unexpected, but inspiring.

“Yeah. It was a surprise to me. It’s definitely a big deal. But it just makes you want to climb up on that list even higher. So I’ve just got to stick with it and keep doing what I’m doing,” Claxton said before the Nets beat the Pelicans 108-102 on Friday night. “I feel like I can play even better, I can be more consistent. I can produce even more when I’m out there. So I’m not getting complacent. That’s good that my name is on that list, but I still have a lot more work to do.”

Claxton had nine points, nine rebounds and five blocks, giving him 23 blocks in his past five games.

“He was a confident player always looking to get better. I think when opportunity meets preparation, you become a good player,” Kevin Durant said of Claxton. “These last couple of years he’s tried to figure out his role around Kyrie [Irving] and myself and James [Harden], when he was here, and now Ben [Simmons] that he’s here.

“Being that anchor as we expect him to be, that’s a tough transition from a young college player, young guy in the league to being on a team that is trying to play deep into the playoffs. … You’ve got to be that anchor. He’s commanded a lot out there as a big, cutting to the ‘D’, switches, protecting the rim, rebounding the basketball. He’s done a lot for us.”

Claxton has three or more blocks in five straight games, the longest streak for a Net since Brook Lopez in November 2012 (five straight).

New Orleans coach Willie Green played for Jacque Vaughn when the Nets coach was at the helm years ago in Orlando. Now, the friends are among the favorites for NBA Coach of the Year.

Vaughn said he always saw Green as a potential coach.

“He was extremely organized, very professional, team oriented, knew how to talk to different guys in locker room,” Vaughn said. “If those things are characteristics for being a coach, then he fit all those characteristics. … Great dude. Really loved him in the locker room. True professional. He’s really carried all those career playing moments to being a great coach.”

Two years ago, Vaughn was a leading candidate for the New Orleans job.

“Life is so unpredictable. The timing part of it, but yet is divine also. It’s part of life,” Vaughn said with a shrug. “This is where I’m supposed to be right now. Happy for him that he’s the head coach of the Pelicans.”

T.J. Warren, who had been knocked out of the Nets’ loss to the Bulls on Wednesday with a rib contusion, played and scored 15 points off the bench.

Royce O’Neale bounced back from his 0-for-8 performance from 3-point range Wednesday by scoring 14 points on 4-for-7 shooting from behind the arc.