Trade Proposal Sends Hawks’ Larry Nance Jr. Back To Cavaliers

One NBA analyst proposed that the Cleveland Cavaliers acquire Larry Nance Jr. from the Atlanta Hawks. 

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade between the Cavaliers and Hawks:

Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: Larry Nance Jr., Minnesota’s 2025 second-round pick

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Dean Wade, Ty Jerome

“This trade likely needs to beget another for the Cavs,” Favale wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “Reuniting with Nance will do wonders for their secondary front-line rotation, but if they’re looking to avoid the tax and re-sign Isaac Okoro (restricted), they’ll need to shed some salary. Georges Niang or Caris LeVert are already candidates to be moved in service of acquiring another wing. This deal increases the likelihood, and necessity, of doing that. And if the Cavs are prepared for the necessary financial finagling, they can remove Jerome from the package entirely.”

Nance Jr. averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.3 blocks in 2023-24 for the New Orleans Pelicans while shooting 57.3% from the field, 41.5% from 3 and 77.0% from the foul line. He’ll make $11.3 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

Nance Jr. has career averages of 7.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Los Angeles Lakers, Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and Pelicans. He turns 32 next season. 

NBA analyst Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report, who covers the Cavaliers, urged Cleveland to trade for Nance Jr. in August. 

“The Akron, Ohio, native previously played for his hometown team from 2018 to 2021 and should be eager to return to a franchise far more talented than the one he was traded away from three years ago,” Swartz wrote in his NBA column about Nance Jr. “Cleveland doesn’t have a reliable backup center on the roster right now, and Nance is a do-it-all option that would be the perfect third big alongside Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.”

The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2024 playoffs in five games. 

JB Bickerstaff was fired as head coach and replaced by Kenny Atkinson, who signed a five-year deal with the Cavaliers.