Former NBA big man Larry Sanders announced last week on Twitter that he was officially moving forward with an attempted comeback, paying a visit to the Celtics in the process. According to Shams Charania of The Vertical, Sanders continues to ramp up those efforts, having hired agent Joel Bell to represent him. Sanders also has team visits scheduled with three additional clubs, per Charania.
It’s not yet clear which three teams Sanders will be visiting, but he could appeal to a number of clubs seeking frontcourt help. We’ve heard that the VCU product is on the Wizards’ radar, and the Timberwolves are in the market for a big man. Additionally, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net reports (via Twitter) that the Cavaliers will be bringing in at least one free agent big man for a workout, though Amico says that player is yet to be confirmed. It’s not known whether Sanders will visit any of those teams, but they’d be among the possible fits.
Sanders hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2014/15 season, when he announced that he was leaving the game for personal reasons. The Bucks waived him under the stretch provision, and he remains on the team’s cap at about $1.866MM per season through 2021/22. That figure would be reduced by setoff if he signs with another organization.
Sanders, now 28, flashed promising upside during his initial stint in the NBA, so teams bringing him in for a look will be interested to see if he still looks like that same player. In the 2012/13 season, the last time he was fully healthy, Sanders averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. Injuries and off-the-court problems limited him to 50 games over his last two seasons in the NBA.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
If he does make a comeback, the league should require him to payback his buyout to the Bucks when he decided to retire for “personal reasons”. I’ll never forget seeing him throwing bottles into the crowd at Apartment 720 and slipping like he’s on ice. Hilarious. Guy’s a head case and whoever signs him better hope he’s matured over the years. Maybe all the weed mellowed him out.
Here’s the link to the night club brawl. Classic Larry.
link to si.com
No way he can play for Thibs
Everyone makes mistakes and hopefully he’s learned from his.