Larry Nance Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Central Notes: Hood, Nance Jr., Hill, Muhammad

March 5th, 2018 at 6:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rodney Hood and Larry Nance Jr. were inserted into the Cavs’ starting lineup on Monday and coach Tyronn Lue said those changes will remain for awhile, Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Nance is replacing Tristan Thompson, who will be out multiple games with an ankle sprain suffered on Saturday. Hood will replace Cedi Osman, who has started nine games since Kevin Love broke his hand. The new-look lineup will be used at least until Thompson returns, Lue added to Vardon and other media members. “Nance is starting and he’s been our boost off the bench defensively and his energy,” Lue said. “Now we need someone like Cedi to come off the bench and give us that same boost and that same energy defensive-wise.”

In other developments around the Central Division:

George Hill said the Cavs are still early in the process of building chemistry with all the roster changes that were made. Hill is one of those players after getting dealt by the Kings right before the trade deadline. “Once teams start scouting and figuring things out, we’ve just got to figure it out ourselves,” he told Vardon in a separate piece. “Where we’re going as a team and what’s going to be our identity? It’s all new schemes for us defensively for four guys coming into a rotation to play with a playoff team like this is totally different. It’s going to take time.”
Shabazz Muhammad didn’t play on Sunday after joining the Bucks but he expects to jump into the rotation soon, as he told Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Muhammad signed with Milwaukee after he was bought out by the Timberwolves last week. “I think I’ll probably get some minutes off the bench — that’s why I came here, to help out,” Muhammad told Velazquez.

Cavaliers Notes: Thomas, LeBron, Hill, Leonard

February 25th, 2018 at 11:40am CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Thomas believes the Cavaliers panicked when they sent him to the Lakers as part of a flurry of deals at the trade deadline, according to an ESPN story. Thomas, who was acquired from the Celtics in the offseason, played just 15 games for the Cavs before being sent to L.A.

“It was a tough situation I was being put in,” Thomas said. “It was — it was different. … It’s hard to get acclimated to a team halfway through the season. People don’t put in there that we had eight or nine new players. So it was basically a brand new team. … I’m in a new system. New team, new coach, new players. And then I’ve been off for seven months. So I got to get — individually, I got to for the most part get my rhythm back, get my timing back.”

Thomas, who will be a free agent this summer, said he has no hard feelings about his time in Cleveland and he is concentrating on his future with his new team. He added that he plans to “play my heart out and show the Lakers why I should be here long term.”

There’s more out of Cleveland:

LeBron James was revitalized by the trades because he knew he wouldn’t have to share the ball anymore with Thomas or Dwyane Wade, writes Terry Pluto of Cleveland.com. He adds that James prefers to control as much as he can, both on and off the court, and now has the freedom to initiate the offense any time he wants. Pluto has noticed a difference in James’ play and his on-court demeanor since he found out the trades were coming on the night before the deadline.
The addition of George Hill and Larry Nance Jr. has provided the defensive spark the Cavaliers needed, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The Cavs turned in one of their best performances of the season Saturday, holding the Grizzlies to 89 points while registering 13 steals and 35 points off 23 turnovers. “Obviously G. Hill’s hands, Larry’s length and athleticism allows us to kind of keep everything at bay,” James said. “Our league is all pick and roll. So when you’ve got a point guard and a center that can play two on two and the other three can kind of stay at bay, it helps out everybody.”
The Cavaliers would be very interested if the Spurs decide to part with star forward Kawhi Leonard, writes Sam Amico of AmicoHoops. Leonard reportedly has a strained relationship with the organization related to his lingering quad injury. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed this week that Leonard has been medically cleared to play, but is choosing to sit out until the pain subsides. Amico speculates that Cleveland would be willing to give up the unprotected pick it owns from Brooklyn as the centerpiece of a deal for Leonard.

Central Notes: Nance, Dinwiddie, Bulls

February 18th, 2018 at 3:38pm CST by marksuleymanov

Less than two weeks after he was shipped to the Cavaliers, Larry Nance Jr. was back in Los Angeles for the Dunk Contest. Nance spent his first two-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers and admitted to Bill Oram of the Orange County Register that the trade still has not set in.

“It’s something that’s still kind of shocking,” Nance said. “But at the same time I can’t wait for all this to be done with so I can just get back to learning how to gel and mesh with my new teammates.”

Nance, 25, was the runner-up in Saturday’s dunk contest as Jazz rookie phenom Donovan Mitchell took home the trophy. After the All-Star break is complete, Nance is looking forward to being in a postseason race for the first time in his career.

“I like to think of myself as a very winning player,” Nance said. “Whether we were building gradually in L.A. or not, I was trying to win every single game. It just feels right. Now that we can, we’re in it, we have a chance to win every single game.”

Check out other Central Division news and notes down below:

Spencer Dinwiddie showed off his all-around basketball talents as he captured the Skills Challenge trophy on Saturday night, defeating Bulls’ rookie Lauri Markkanen. Peter J. Wallner of MLive.com recalls that Dinwiddie was once a member of the Pistons and now has the opportunity to shine as a member of the Nets.
The Bulls do not have any representatives in the All-Star game but the team’s young talent was showcased throughout the weekend, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Kris Dunn had an impressive performance in the Rising Stars Challenge, Markkanen was the runner-up in the Skills Challenge, and Zach LaVine impressed with his analysis during the Dunk Contest — he even teased performing in it for a third time.

Larry Nance Jr. Talks Trade, Altman, Cavs

February 16th, 2018 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

One of four players traded to the Cavaliers last Thursday, Larry Nance Jr. was almost certainly the one most familiar with the city of Cleveland. His father, Larry Nance Sr., played for the Cavs from 1988 to 1994, earning two All-Star nods during that time and eventually having his uniform number (22) retired by the franchise.

While the elder Nance said this week that he called up the Cavs after the trade to offer to unretire No. 22 for his son, Nance Jr. tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype that he didn’t want to claim his father’s old number. As Nance Jr. tells it, he wants fans at Cavs game to be able to point to that number in the rafters while they’re watching him on the court.

In his conversation with Kennedy, which is worth checking out in full, Nance Jr. also went into more detail on his trade from Los Angeles to Cleveland, explaining how he found about being traded and what his expectations are for the Cavs this season. Here are a few highlights from the discussion:

On how Nance found out he had been traded to the Cavaliers:

“Like everyone else, I was following Woj and had the tweet notifications set up just in case and just to find out what kind of stuff was happening. I had just woke up and I was going to wash my face, when I got the update that the Cavs and Lakers were in serious trade talks. I thought, ‘Oh? I don’t know who that could involve, but we’ll see.’ Not even 30 seconds later, I got a call from [Lakers general manager] Rob Pelinka and [head coach] Luke [Walton] and [president] Magic [Johnson] were in his office with him. They all broke the news to me and told me that I was going to Cleveland.”

On Koby Altman telling reporters that Nance was emotional about returning home:

“Yeah, I think he basically said I was crying and that’s a bit of a stretch (laughs). But I was excited! I don’t think anybody wants to get traded, but if I had to go anywhere, it doesn’t get much better than going home to play for a championship contender. I knew that it would probably be a good thing going forward, so I was definitely excited when I talked to him. Koby is a really good dude and we had a good talk.”

On his expectations for the Cavs this season:

“This team has been to the NBA Finals for three straight years and I think we got better with the trades. So, I mean, that’s where I’d love to end up. But, at this point, I don’t know [how good we can be]. I’ve been on one team for my whole career and that was the Lakers. Now, I’ve been on this new team for three days, so it’s kind of tough to tell.”

Cavaliers Notes: Hill, Hood, Clarkson, Nance

February 10th, 2018 at 7:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

The four players the Cavaliers acquired at the trade deadline understand that they’re now teammates with the NBA’s version of a superhero in LeBron James, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com.“He’s the Batman and we gotta be all Robins,” George Hill said at practice today.

They’ve all played against James plenty of times before, but none more intensely than Hill, whose Pacers battled the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals in both 2013 and 2014. Rodney Hood attended LeBron’s summer Skills Academy in Las Vegas in 2012 and another of his training camps before then. “He’s the best player of our generation and I’ve been a big fan of his since I went to his camp when I was in high school,” Hood said. “To get a chance to play with him and learn from him I think will be great for me.”

Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. already had the experience of playing with a larger-than-life figure as teammates of Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. They’re both looking forward to being in a similar situation. “That first year with Kob was unbelievable, getting to travel around that locker room, his fan base was insane,” Nance said. “This is going to be a whole ‘nother beast in itself. I’m anxious, I’m excited and I think I’m ready.”

There’s more today from Cleveland:

The four new players will make their Cavaliers debut tomorrow in Boston, but Hill will be the only one to start, Vardon relays in a separate story. Coach Tyronn Lue plans to use Hood, Clarkson and Nance in reserve roles and promises they will all see playing time. “I mean, they don’t know the plays yet,” Lue said. “So it’s going to be tough tomorrow with George starting because you can’t really run a lot of stuff. Just run some pick-and-rolls. But just having him on the floor will be good. He’s a veteran so he can understand the flow of the game and then once we get our plays down and defensively what we want to do, then you could see a lineup change.”
The Cavaliers took an obvious gamble in the deal that bought Clarkson and Nance from the Lakers, notes Andrew Sharp of Sports Illustrated. Cleveland helped L.A. clear cap room that may be used to pursue James this summer and sent the Lakers a first-round pick as well. However, Sharp adds that Isaiah Thomas was such a poor fit and a disruptive influence with the Cavs that he had to be sent somewhere.
The front office would have been inviting James to leave in free agency this summer if it hadn’t shaken up the team, adds Bud Shaw of Cleveland.com. It’s hard to say how much the Cavaliers improved their chances of keeping him, Shaw adds, but the franchise is now in better shape for the present and future.

Cavs Acquire Clarkson, Nance In Isaiah Thomas Trade

February 8th, 2018 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

1:14pm: The trade is now official, the Lakers announced in a press release. The 2018 first-rounder acquired by the Lakers is top-three protected, which will protect the Cavs in the unlikely event that they miss the postseason and then get lucky in the lottery.

11:08am: The Lakers and Cavaliers are set to complete a trade that will send Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to Cleveland, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). In exchange, the Lakers will receive Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and the Cavaliers’ 2018 first-round pick, per Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link). That pick will be protected, tweets Woj.

The deal is a fascinating one for two teams that have been heavily involved in trade rumors throughout the 2017/18 season. The move reflects the Cavaliers’ desire to get better right away, while the Lakers look ahead to the summer.

From the Cavs’ perspective, the trade looks like an admission that the acquisition of Thomas wasn’t going to work. After missing most of the first half of the season with a hip injury, the former Celtics star hasn’t been able to recapture his old form, and has publicly expressed his frustration during Cleveland’s recent slump. Thomas’ .361 FG% and .253 3PT% are easily career lows, and his average of 14.7 PPG is way down from the 28.9 PPG he put up last season in Boston.

“He’s worked too hard to get back, and he’s a ball-dominant player,” Thomas’ agent Aaron Goodwin told Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “It’s LeBron’s ball, and this clearly wasn’t working. [Cavs GM] Koby [Altman] and I have had enough conversations where it was clear, with the way the system was going, it wasn’t beneficial for either party. This is a good opportunity for Isaiah.”

By sending a struggling Thomas to Los Angeles along with Frye, the Cavs will secure a pair of solid rotation players who are both just 25 years old and are under contract beyond this season. Clarkson has averaged 14.5 PPG with a .448/.324/.795 shooting line so far in 2017/18. Nance, meanwhile, has posted a career-best 8.6 PPG and 6.8 RPG, with a .601 FG%.

While Thomas and Frye are on expiring contracts, Clarkson and Nance will earn a combined $14.77MM in 2018/19, pushing Cleveland’s total guaranteed team salary for next year above the $100MM mark, not counting LeBron James. With or without James, it seems very unlikely that the Cavs will have cap room this summer, barring some major moves.

The Lakers, on the other hand, clear nearly $15MM in 2018/19 money from their books in this deal, taking on two expiring contracts and landing a first-round pick in the process. Despite recent rumblings that the team could be shifting its free agency focus to 2019, this deal puts L.A. in a great position to create enough cap room to make a run at two maximum-salary free agents this summer. Their top targets figure to include Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, and – of course – LeBron.

One of the most interesting aspects of this deal is that both teams could make the case that it improved their odds of signing James this summer — the Cavs acquired some players who can help them contend this season and can stick around next year, while the Lakers created more cap space and will be able to use their new first-round pick to add another player to their young core this offseason.

Some housekeeping notes on this trade: Cleveland will now be unable to trade the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick unless they acquire another 2018 or 2019 first-rounder. The Cavs have already traded their ’19 first-rounder, and can’t leave themselves without first-round picks in consecutive future seasons. They’ll reduce their projected luxury tax bill in this deal too, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks outlines. Additionally, the Lakers should create a modest trade exception in the deal worth $1,471,382, the amount of Nance’s 2017/18 salary.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Rumors: Mavs, Holiday, Lakers, Celtics

February 8th, 2018 at 9:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks have received some trade offers, but those proposals haven’t featured great draft-pick incentives, a league source tells Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Dallas is willing to use its leftover cap space to take on a contract or two, but the Mavs would require a draft pick valuable enough to make it worth their while.

According to Sefko, the Mavericks have also found that there’s a trade market for center Salah Mejri, who is facing restricted free agency this summer. However, teams haven’t been willing to offer more than a very low second-round pick.

Here are a few more trade rumors from across the NBA:

Sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that Bulls wing Justin Holiday has received serious interest. Holiday is one of several veterans Chicago will consider dealing, along with Robin Lopez and Jerian Grant.
The Lakers are using Larry Nance Jr. as a potential sweetener when they discuss Jordan Clarkson trade scenarios, tweets Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders initially suggested last month that Nance could be attached to another player to help L.A. clear salary. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN examines how Nance and his Lakers teammates are handling the ongoing trade rumors.
The Celtics seem to be “on the periphery” of the Tyreke Evans trade discussions, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald, who hears that the Grizzlies have better offers for Evans. However, one GM tells Bulpett that Boston appears to be “lying in wait” in the event that more active talks stall.
Dante Cunningham and Alexis Ajinca looks like the Pelicans‘ primary trade candidates today, sources tell Scott Kushner of The Advocate (Twitter link). Cunningham has the ability to veto trades and Ajinca is out for the season, so neither player has a ton of value.

L.A. Notes: Ball, Nance, Williams, Jordan

January 27th, 2018 at 10:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are expecting Lonzo Ball to return soon from his injured left knee, possibly before the end of the current road trip, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. The injury, which has officially been classified as a sprained MCL, took place January 13.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if within a couple days, a week, whatever it is, they say he’s ready to start practicing again,” coach Luke Walton said. “But we’re still training and approaching it as if it’s long-term.”

Ball joined the team at the end of today’s practice, but spent most of the time getting treatment on the knee, lifting weights and working on his shot. Walton said that once Ball goes through a full practice and feels fine the next day, he can start playing again.

There’s more NBA news out of Los Angeles:

Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. was slightly surprised to hear his name brought up in trade rumors for the first time in his career. Appearing on a podcast with Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Nance said he realizes it’s part of life in the NBA. “At the end of the day, it’s a business,” he said. “If something like that were to happen, if I were to get traded to a different team, it would be a team that would value me. I try to look at it like that, just as an opportunity.”
Clippers guard Lou Williams was passed over for the All-Star Game for a second time today when commissioner Adam Silver picked Oklahoma City’s Paul George to replace the injured DeMarcus Cousins. Williams, averaging a career-best 23.6 points per game after being traded to L.A. last summer, offered his reaction on social media, first tweeting, “What’s crazier than 1 snub??? 2,” then offering a more philosophical response. “Y’all talking to a guy that’s been coming off the bench 7 plus years,” he wrote. “Lol i ain’t hurt about no all star snub. It’s dope to be in the conversation. I wanted it just to represent the underdogs. Not for validation.” (Twitter link)
There’s no guarantee DeAndre Jordan will be with the Clippers past the February 8 trade deadline, but if does leave, it will be with the franchise record for games played, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Jordan set the mark of 716 Friday night in Memphis. “It’s been a long journey,” he said. “Coming here when I was 19 and not playing hardly at all my first year, it’s been a cool ride though. They stuck with me and let me grow into a better player and person. Making history is always great, whatever you’re doing.”

Kyler’s Latest: Knicks, Jazz, Magic, Bucks, Lakers

January 9th, 2018 at 2:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks may use the trade market to open a roster spot for G League guard Trey Burke, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. New York is reportedly in “serious talks” about signing Burke, who has been with the organization’s Westchester affiliate since being waived during the preseason.

The Knicks have a full roster and there is speculation that veteran point guard Ramon Sessions could be waived to clear the way for Burke. However, Kyler says the Knicks have received interest in backup centers Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez. They may be able to get a draft pick in return for O’Quinn, but not many teams can take on his $4.08MM salary without sending another player back to New York, which wouldn’t help with signing Burke.

Burke has been outstanding in the G League and has attracted interest from other organizations. According to Kyler, Burke’s representatives have told the Knicks he will consider other offers if they don’t sign him soon. So while there’s not a definite deadline to open a roster spot, there is an incentive to get something done.

Kyler offers info on several other potential deals as the trade deadline draws nearer:

The Jazz would like to get something in return for the expiring contracts of Derrick Favors [$12MM] and Joe Johnson [$10.5MM]. Utah is among the teams linked to Chicago’s Nikola Mirotic, who becomes eligible for a deal Monday. Kyler says the Bulls are willing to make a deal and would be happy to get draft picks and expiring deals in return.
The Magic could be active at the deadline, as sources say they have received inquiries on nearly all their players. They would like to deal guard Evan Fournier, but haven’t received any offers they consider attractive. Despite being a non-contender at 12-28, Orlando isn’t overly interested in draft picks because it already has a lot of young talent and its own pick is likely to fall in the top five. It would take a proven All-Star to land Aaron Gordon, according to Kyler, and the Magic don’t expect to receive that kind of offer. They are also resigned that no one is going to take Bismack Biyombo with two years and $34MM left on his contract beyond this season.
The Bucks continue to need frontcourt help and might give up Jabari Parker in the right deal. However, with Mirza Teletovic sidelined with blood clots in his lungs, the organization would have difficulty matching a big salary. Sources believe Malcolm Brogdon or Thon Maker would have to be included in any significant trade.
The Lakers may have to deal Larry Nance Jr. as an incentive to get teams to take on other salaries. They would love to get rid of Luol Deng‘s contract, but are finding no options without giving up a hefty package of first-rounders.

Woj’s Latest: Pistons, Fournier, Lakers, Hawks

January 8th, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Shooting guards and small forwards are in high demand as the trade deadline approaches, and there simply aren’t that many quality wings expected to be available, Adrian Wojnarowski writes in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Wojnarowski details, the Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are just a few of the many teams looking for upgrades on the wing.

DeMarre Carroll (Nets), Alec Burks (Jazz), Kent Bazemore (Hawks), and Evan Fournier (Magic) are among the veterans attracting some interest on the trade market, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that the Pistons pursued a deal for Fournier. Such a trade would be hard to pull off without including Reggie Jackson‘s contract, so nothing’s imminent at this point, but the Pistons continue to be aggressive on the trade market, a reflection of Stan Van Gundy‘s desire to win now, says Wojnarowski.

As for the Pelicans, they also remain active in trade talks despite their limited assets, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have negative value and won’t be movable without New Orleans attaching a draft pick or two. If the Pelicans can’t trade for a wing, they’ll have to count on getting Solomon Hill back healthy for the home stretch of the season.

Here’s more from Woj:

The Lakers have “made it clear” that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are available in trades, reports Wojnarowski. The club had been planning on waiting until after the season to try to move Clarkson, but there may be a mutual desire to get something done on that front sooner rather than later.
Bazemore, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli are expendable in Atlanta, where the Hawks are focused on unloading veterans and stockpiling more young players and draft picks, per Wojnarowski.
The Bulls still plan to trade Nikola Mirotic after January 15, assuming he OK’s a deal. According to Wojnarowski, Mirotic is somewhat intrigued by the Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder, who has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
It’s possible their outlooks could change by the trade deadline, but the Thunder and Pelicans currently have no plans to trade Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins, respectively. Both players can become unrestricted free agents this July.
We passed along more rumors from Woj in full stories earlier today, providing the latest on DeAndre Jordan and examining the Grizzlies‘ asking price for Tyreke Evans.