Larry Nance Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Nance, Risacher, Kyrie, KAT, Nurkic, Beal, Suggs

January 17th, 2025 at 6:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran forward/center Larry Nance Jr. is making progress in his rehabilitation process following right hand surgery, according to the Hawks (Twitter link), who announced that Nance will be reevaluated in one week and an update on his status will be shared at that time.

The Hawks will be down another forward in the short term, as Zaccharie Risacher, who missed Wednesday’s game vs. Chicago due to left adductor irritation, has been ruled out for two additional contests, per the club.

Risacher will be inactive for Saturday’s visit to Boston and Monday’s to New York before being reevaluated when the Hawks return home from their road trip ahead of next Wednesday’s game vs. Detroit.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving will be back in action on Friday vs. Oklahoma City after sitting out the second end of a back-to-back set on Wednesday following his return from a back injury. Head coach Jason Kidd said he expects Irving to play “in the 33 (minute) range,” per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link).
Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who is dealing with a bone chip in the thumb, isn’t facing his old team on Friday, having been ruled out of New York’s game vs. Minnesota just over a half-hour before tip-off, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. Reporting this week indicated that Towns plans to play through his thumb injury, so it’s possible he’ll be back in action on Monday vs. Atlanta.
Suns center Jusuf Nurkic won’t play on Saturday in Detroit, having been ruled out for a fourth straight game due to an illness, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Prior to the illness, Nurkic was removed from Phoenix’s starting lineup and was a DNP-CD in two games last week. Suns guard Bradley Beal, who sat out on Thursday due to a left ankle sprain, is listed as doubtful for Saturday’s contest.
Sidelined since January 3 due to a lower back strain, Magic guard Jalen Suggs said he’s “really itching to get back out on the court,” writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. An exact return timeline remains unclear, but Suggs has made good progress since being on “bed rest for a couple days” after first sustaining the injury. “Hopefully I’ll be out here soon,” he said on Friday.

Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. Undergoes Hand Surgery

January 3rd, 2025 at 4:06pm CST by Rory Maher

JANUARY 3: Nance underwent surgery on Thursday to repair the fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand, the Hawks announced today in a press release. According to the team, the plan is to reevaluate Nance in two weeks and provide an updated recovery timeline at that time.

DECEMBER 30: Hawks big man Larry Nance Jr., who sustained a right hand injury in Saturday’s win over Miami, has been diagnosed with a fractured fourth metacarpal bone, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).

Nance will undergo hand surgery on Thursday to repair the fracture. A return timeline will be provided post-surgery, per the Hawks.

A 10-year veteran, Nance was traded to Atlanta in the offseason. The 31-year-old’s role has been fairly modest in his first season with the Hawks, as he’s largely been the third-string center behind Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu. He has been quite productive when called upon, averaging 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals on .585/.520/.875 shooting in 15 games (19.4 minutes per contest).

Nance had received regular playing time over his past five games — including Saturday’s victory — with Okongwu out due to left knee inflammation. Over that span, he averaged 11.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.6 BPG on .525/.476/1.000 shooting in 25.2 MPG.

It’s unfortunate news for Nance, who has dealt with a number of injuries throughout his career. Lauded for his locker room presence, the veteran forward/center has seen his name pop up in at least one trade rumor in 2024/25.

Nance is playing on an expiring $11.2MM contract, meaning he’ll be a free agent in 2025 unless he signs a veteran extension, which he’s eligible for through June 30.

On a more positive note for the Hawks, Okongwu was able to return to action in Sunday’s blowout victory in Toronto, posting 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting, four rebounds, two steals and one block in 18 minutes. The 24-year-old will almost certainly continue to split minutes with Capela, but Nance’s absence leaves Atlanta a little thin in the frontcourt, particularly if another injury were to occur.

The Hawks started out the season with a 7-11 record, but have gone 11-4 since. They’re riding a four-game winning streak and are currently 18-15, the No. 5 seed in the East.

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Mann, Hawks, Nance, Brogdon

December 28th, 2024 at 11:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hornets thought they were moving past their injury woes two weeks ago when LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller and Mark Williams were in the lineup together for the first time in nearly 12 months, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. However, that quartet didn’t last a full game, and the injuries have continued ever since. Ball, Miller and Cody Martin were all on the sidelines tonight as Charlotte lost at home against Oklahoma City.

“It’s difficult — obviously we’ve had more injuries than we’ve wanted,” Josh Green said. “But at the end of the day, I feel like that’s also the NBA. There’s always injuries and for us to be successful, it doesn’t take three guys. The whole team needs to be ready to play. Yeah, it’s very unfortunate we haven’t had our starting group. I think maybe one game we’ve had them. But we become a better team when we can win without them. And when we get them back, we become an even better team. That’s the way I look at it.”

The Hornets entered the season hoping to contend for a play-in spot with first-year coach Charles Lee guiding a solid collection of young talent. But whether injuries or other factors are to blame, Charlotte seems headed for another high lottery pick, going 1-15 since November 23 and falling into a tie with Toronto for 13th place in the East.

“Everyone’s journey is different,” Lee said. “There’s no quit in this team and there’s a ton of fight, which is what I love. Because that’s what it’s going to take. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. Life doesn’t feel sorry for you. The world keeps spinning, and so you’ve got to figure out how do I just kind of reset and refocus and come with the right attitude to try to make a change? And a lot of that has got to be your actions.”

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The Hornets got some encouraging news on Saturday as Tre Mann was able to work out before the game, Boone adds. The reserve guard has missed the past 16 games with disc irritation in his lower back. “I think that he’s made some positive steps,” Lee said. “I was joking with him (Friday). It looked like he had a little more pep in his step, and so I was glad to see that.”
The Hawks were also short-handed in Saturday’s win over Miami, per Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Dyson Daniels was unavailable due to illness, and Bogdan Bogdanovic was sidelined with a left lower leg contusion. Vit Krejci replaced Daniels in the starting lineup, and two-way player Keaton Wallace logged more than 13 minutes after being called up from the G League. “A lot of guys found themselves in some different situations,” coach Quin Snyder said.
Hawks big man Larry Nance Jr. suffered a hand injury during the game, the team announced (via Twitter). Additional details and a timeline for his return will be shared later.
It’s hard to be optimistic about a team with a 5-24 record, but veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon believes the Wizards are moving in the right direction, tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “This team is actually just getting better every day,” Brogdon said after Saturday’s overtime loss to New York. “… We won that one game — maybe that was Denver, or whatever game that was — and we’ve seen ourselves, even with the losses after that game, get better every day, every practice, every game.”

Southeast Rumors: Richards, Martin, Micic, Capela, Nance, Hunter, Anthony

December 2nd, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Nick Richards has drawn trade interest from a number of teams across the NBA, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who says the Hornets center is viewed as an intriguing target due to his solid play as a starter and his team-friendly contract, which includes a $5MM salary this season and a $5MM non-guaranteed cap hit for 2025/26.

Several rival executives who spoke to HoopsHype believe it would take at least two second-round picks to acquire Richards, Scotto writes, and there’s also uncertainty about how willing Charlotte would even be to trade him, since ostensible starting center Mark Williams has been sidelined for nearly a full year due to back and foot issues. If the Hornets can’t trust Williams to be available, they may be reluctant to part with an important frontcourt depth piece like Richards.

Exploring other potential trade candidates in Charlotte, Scotto identifies wing Cody Martin and guard Vasilije Micic as two more players to watch.

After a couple injury-plagued seasons, Martin has been healthy and effective so far in 2024/25. According to Scotto, the Hornets spoke to the Cavaliers during the offseason about a possible Isaac Okoro sign-and-trade that would have sent Martin and multiple second-round picks to Cleveland, but Okoro ended up re-signing with the Cavs.

As for Micic, while he’s playing a more significant role right now due to injuries to LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann, he’s Charlotte’s third-string point guard when both of those players are healthy, having fallen firmly behind Mann on the depth chart. That makes him potentially expendable for the Hornets, and his pseudo-expiring contract (his 2025/26 salary is non-guaranteed) could make him an appealing target for a team in need of point guard depth.

We have more from around the Southeast:

According to Scotto, executives scouring the center market believe Hawks center Clint Capela may be a trade candidate this season, with potential unrestricted free agency looming in 2025. Sources tell HoopsHype that the Knicks, Grizzlies, and Pelicans are among the clubs that did due diligence on Capela during the 2024 offseason before going in different directions at center.
Hawks reserves Larry Nance Jr. and De’Andre Hunter are also viewed as potential trade candidates, Scotto reports. That’s especially true of Nance, who is on an expiring deal, has played inconsistent minutes in Atlanta, and is considered a good locker room presence. As for Hunter, his three-and-D skill set is valued, but Scotto suggests teams have some questions about his durability and may be reluctant to take on his contract, which has two years and $48MM+ still left on it after this season.
The Magic‘s offseason addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, along with an increased role for second-year guard Anthony Black, has resulted in several NBA executives viewing Cole Anthony as a viable trade candidate, Scotto writes. After averaging 26.5 minutes per game in his first four years in Orlando, Anthony is logging just 9.8 MPG so far this season.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Kuzma, Young, Nance Jr.

November 11th, 2024 at 5:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jimmy Butler will miss his second straight game and the Heat‘s NBA Cup opener in Detroit on Tuesday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel tweets.

Butler, who has not appeared in more than 65 regular season games in any of the last six seasons due to a variety of injuries, is dealing with an ankle sprain. The star swingman has a $52.4MM player option after this season and Miami’s front office was reluctant to discuss a maximum-salary extension over the summer due to his injury history.

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Kyle Kuzma is back in action on Monday after missing the last five games with a groin strain, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Kuzma had been averaging 17 points on 32.7% shooting through three games prior to the injury. The Wizards have lost their four games without him.
Trae Young has been playing more off the ball to make the Hawks’ offense less predictable, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “When I am off the ball, guys are worried about me and they’re connected to me and on my body,” Young said. “So it allows teammates to have a lot of space to go and create for themselves and others, too.” Now it’s up to his teammates to make it work. “We’re not always waiting for Trae to create for everyone, but to learn to create for each other,” Bogdan Bogdanović said. “So he’s going to continue to do what he does the best. But, we need to come together and increase that level of creation as a team.“ Young is listed as out for Tuesday’s game against Boston due to right Achilles tendinitis, Brad Rowland tweets.
Larry Nance Jr. could be an attractive trade candidate, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic tweets. The veteran forward has been a valuable reserve for the Hawks after being included in the blockbuster trade that sent Dejounte Murray to New Orleans. Nance, playing on his fifth team, has an $11MM expiring contract.

Southeast Notes: Da Silva, Daniels, Mann, Sarr

November 4th, 2024 at 11:48am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Magic are devastated by the oblique injury that will sideline rising star Paolo Banchero for the foreseeable future, the team has managed to find one silver lining, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who writes that first-round pick Tristan Da Silva is has gotten the opportunity to play a role with Banchero on the shelf. After four straight DNP-CDs, the rookie had 17 points and five rebounds in 20 minutes of action during Friday’s loss to Cleveland.

“I just think that was a bright spot there, for him to be able to come in and step in and do the things he was able to do,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said after that game.

Mosley was impressed enough with Da Silva’s performance to insert him into Orlando’s starting lineup on Sunday in Dallas. The former Colorado standout wasn’t quite as effective, with just seven points and five rebounds in 31 minutes, though he was only a minus-four in a game the Magic lost by 23 points.

Da Silva earned praise from teammate Franz Wagner, who said it’s been “a lot of fun” playing alongside his rookie teammate and that he’s doing a “great job” so far (Twitter link via Beede).

“I thought he played awesome in Cleveland,” Wagner said. “He’s just keeping the game really simple, making easy plays, and he just understands the game really well. And knows how to play. (He) takes the shot when he’s open, makes a quick decision when he gets it.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Facing their former team in New Orleans on Sunday, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels and big man Larry Nance Jr. both stared down the Pelicans‘ bench after making big shots, notes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While one of Daniels’ gestures toward the bench after a corner three resembled a finger gun (Twitter video link), he told reporters after the game that wasn’t his intent, writes Brett Martel of The Associated Press. “It might have looked like it, but I was just telling them it was worth three points,” Daniels said. “You know, pointing at them all, that’s all it was. I was making sure they all knew how many points it was worth.” As Martel observes, the NBA has fined players in the past for mimicking guns on the court.
While he saw his playing time dwindle during his two-and-a-half seasons in Oklahoma City, point guard Tre Mann said his time playing alongside Thunder ball-handlers like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey helped him learn how to play off the ball more effectively, which has benefited him since his trade to the Hornets. “That helped me develop my all-around game, like making plays other than scoring, being ready to shoot on catch-and-shoots, and hunting those opportunities,” Mann told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Now, playing with guys like LaMelo (Ball) and Brandon (Miller), I can still have an impact even without the ball.” Mann is off to a strong start this fall, having averaged 19.2 points per game on .467/.444/1.000 shooting in six appearances off the bench.
No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr got off to a bumpy start this season, averaging 8.0 PPG on 29.7% shooting through his first four games, but Saturday’s showing vs. Miami (17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, six rebounds, four blocks, three assists) provided a glimpse of what the Wizards hope he can become, writes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. “I think it’s just me getting more comfortable as the games go on, realizing where I can attack, how I can be impactful and just transform my game,” Sarr said.

Southeast Notes: KCP, Barlow, Nance Jr., Davis, Poole

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:53am CST by Dana Gauruder

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was one of the biggest free acquisitions this summer, as the Magic signed him for three years and $66MM. Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley says KCP will have a major impact on both ends of the floor, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets.

“It’s the fact that he just knows where to be on the floor,” Mosley said. “It goes back to the fact he’s played with some of the game’s best players, so he understands the spacing, the time to cut and the time to move to find the open window that they can pass him the basketball. Defensively, he’s always in the right position.”

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The Hawks added former Spurs forward Dominick Barlow on a two-way deal this summer. Barlow believes he can force his way into the rotation by doing the “little things,” Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. “Screening, hard, rolling hard, being able to hit that shot in the corner and then just guarding, I think will be my way to get on the court, for sure,” he said.
The Hawks acquired Larry Nance Jr. in the Dejounte Murray deal with the Pelicans. The veteran forward has quickly emerged as a vocal leader during the early days of training camp, Williams writes in a separate story. “He’s done a great job,” Barlow said. “He’s a new guy, but he’s been in a bunch of different situations throughout his career, so he kind of understands, how this works. And I think he’s kind of stepped in and taken that role.”
Wizards third-year guard Johnny Davis resents being called a bust at this stage of his career. Davis was the 10th pick of the 2022 draft but hasn’t performed like a lottery pick in his first two NBA seasons. “It’s a word that’s thrown around a lot, and I feel like it’s not fair to anybody,” Davis told Candace Buckner of the Washington Post. “I just want to show that I belong here. People can say what they want about Tommy Sheppard, the GM at the time when I got drafted here, but I don’t think people randomly get drafted top-10 for nothing.”
Jordan Poole expects his second season with the Wizards to go much smoother than his first year with the organization. He went from a perennial contender in Golden State to a rebuilding team. “I’m just a competitive person,” he said, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “It was new for me to go just through the losing process, honestly. Obviously, we’re in a rebuilding phase, but it was a transition year. There was a lot of movement, a lot of new things, a lot of new pieces on both sides. But now coming into Year 2, we have a little bit more clarity in what we want to do, a little bit more direction in what we want to do. So that not only helps me but it helps other guys know what they can focus on, where they can put their energy to. And that’s all you really need: a little bit of direction.”

Southeast Notes: Bogdanovic, Nance, Sarr, Suggs

September 22nd, 2024 at 2:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Recent photos of Bogdan Bogdanovic in Partizan Belgrade training gear sparked rumors that he might have an interest in returning to the Serbian team, but the Hawks guard told Mozzart Sport that he’s happy in the NBA, BasketNews relays. Partizan was Bogdanovic’s first team when he entered professional basketball in 2010. He played four seasons there before moving on to Fenerbahce and eventually the NBA in 2017.

“I just wanted to send support to the team where I started my professional career,” Bogdanovic explained. “We all know how much I love Partizan, I practiced in their hall, they gave me conditions for practicing, that’s how I wanted so send a message that I’m thankful for that. I know people want me back in Partizan, but my focus is now on NBA, I won’t lie. I want to impress there in best way possible. And when it is time to come back, I’m sure emotions will make the judgement.”

Bogdanovic’s contract has two seasons remaining, plus a team option for 2026/27, so it should be a while before he plays again in Europe. His current focus is helping Atlanta remain competitive in the Eastern Conference, and he’s hoping to reach a standard that he’s yet to accomplish in the NBA.

“I made myself a goal to play 82 games, I never did that and it’s very tough,” Bogdanovic said. “Last season I missed two, once I was sick, once injured, I think I can accomplish that now.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Veteran big man Larry Nance Jr. is eager to play for coach Quin Snyder after being traded to the Hawks this summer, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Nance is already getting involved in the community and was among several Atlanta players who volunteered at Saturday’s Million Meal Pack at State Farm Arena. “Quin is a basketball mastermind,” Nance said. “I was a huge fan of his when he was at Utah, and obviously, these past few years in Atlanta. Now I’m excited to play for him, and we’re gonna get along really well. Yeah, I consider myself a high-IQ basketball player, and he’s very high IQ. Yeah, so. But the roster is exciting. Obviously, it’s a young roster and a team that’s looking to make some noise here going forward.”
Appearing on a Monumental Sports Network podcast, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said fans should be excited about what Alex Sarr might be able to accomplish in his rookie season. “I wouldn’t put limitations on it, to be honest with you,” Dawkins said of the No. 2 overall pick. “I think he’s someone that by the end of the season you’ll be like ‘okay, that was different.’ He’ll have his moments throughout the beginning of the year, both negative and positive. But the stuff he can do on the floor long-term, I think you guys will be pretty excited about.”
Jalen Suggs is coming off his best NBA season, but the Magic will need him to improve his point guard skills as he takes over the offense, per Mike Shearer of Basketball Poetry.

Knicks Notes: Center Options, Wing Depth, Brunson, Randle

August 7th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even if Mitchell Robinson can manage to avoid serious injury this season, he may not be the center the Knicks want on the court once they reach the playoffs, John Hollinger and Fred Katz of the Athletic write in a discussion about the team. Hollinger notes that while Robinson’s skills as a rim protector and offensive rebounder are valuable, New York was at its best with the pick-and-roll game and switchable defense of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with Oklahoma City in free agency.

Although he doesn’t expect the Knicks to add another center before training camp, Hollinger believes trade options will become available as the season wears on. He suggests the Suns‘ Jusuf Nurkic as a possibility if Phoenix gets off to a disappointing start or the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, who may be a third-stringer in Portland behind Deandre Ayton and lottery pick Donovan Clingan. Larry Nance Jr., who was recently traded to the Hawks and has an $11MM expiring salary, could also be considered.

Another option that Hollinger and Katz discuss is experimenting with Julius Randle at center. Katz states that coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted using Randle as a small-ball five, but New York’s strong perimeter defense can make up for the lack of a shot-blocker.

There’s more on the Knicks:

Wing depth has become New York’s best attribute since the trade for Mikal Bridges, Hollinger states in the same piece. He cites Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as “automatic starters” for most teams, while the Knicks also have Miles McBride to handle minutes at two guard. Hollinger expresses concern about backup point guard, where McBride hasn’t shown an ability to create offense, Cameron Payne is with his fourth team in a little over a year and second-round pick Tyler Kolek isn’t likely to play much as a rookie.
Jalen Brunson has been selected as captain for the upcoming season, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Brunson, who recently signed a four-year, $156.5MM extension that’s well below his market value, becomes the 36th captain in team history and the first since Lance Thomas during the 2018/19 season. “Jalen is a natural born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his teammates with the same heart, grit and class he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York,” team president Leon Rose said.
The Knicks should work out an extension with Randle before the start of the season as a reward for his role in turning around the franchise, David Vertsberger contends in an SNY column. Randle is eligible for a new deal that could be worth up to $181.5MM over four years.

Stein’s Latest: Ingram, Lakers, Fournier, Hawks

July 11th, 2024 at 10:54pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Pelicans star forward Brandon Ingram has been one of the most frequently-floated names in trade discussions this summer.

According to Marc Stein at Substack, Ingram’s performance in the 2024 playoffs against the Thunder is among the factors that have given New Orleans’ potential trade partners pause. Stein also indicates that Ingram is seeking a four-year, $208MM contract extension on his current expiring deal.

League sources tell Stein that Ingram’s management is striving to help the Pelicans find a willing trade partner. As Stein writes, having the former All-Star play out his current expiring contract with the Pelicans and become an unrestricted free agent next summer likely isn’t the preferred outcome for either the player or team.

Here are more rumors from Stein:

The Lakers are looking to create some additional cap flexibility in order to make use of their $5.2MM taxpayer mid-level exception. The team is currently right at the second tax apron, prohibiting L.A. from signing an outside free agent for more than the minimum. If the Lakers can shed some salary, free agent sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. could be among the targets that make sense, Stein notes. The club currently has a full 15-man roster, so any cost-cutting move intended to make room for a free agent would also need to open up a roster spot.
Sources inform Stein that the rebuilding Wizards have registered interest in free agent wing Evan Fournier, who could be a mentor to recent lottery picks and fellow Frenchmen Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly.
While starting center Clint Capela has been on the trade block for more than a year, new Hawks big man Larry Nance Jr. – added via the Dejounte Murray trade earlier this summer – is drawing more trade interest from rival teams, Stein writes. According to Stein, multiple clubs in need of more size have expressed interest in Nance.