Larry Nance Jr. is going back home. On the second day of free agency, Nance decided to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, making his return to the team he had already spent three and a half seasons for in the past. Being a second apron team, the Cavs can only offer Nance a one-year deal, which means that the 32-year-old big man took a significant pay cut to join one of the best teams in the entire association.
Nance has been a welcome veteran presence wherever he goes, and now that the Cavs have blossomed into a powerhouse that needs that one final push to get over the hump, his influence in the locker room will be very much welcome. Moreover, he has shown that he can still be productive when healthy. Whatever the case may be, the veteran highflyer is simply looking forward to doing whatever he can to help his beloved hometown team win another championship.
“I’m just happy to be able to give all I have to help my hometown team challenge for a title,” Nance told Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
The lights proved to be too bright yet again for the Cavs during this year’s playoffs, and it looked as though there were going to be wholesale changes for the team after yet another disappointing end to their campaign. But the Cavs are running it back, choosing instead to retool around their core four with the additions of Nance and Lonzo Ball, two former teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Cavs set to run it back
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
With today’s CBA, the shelf life of contending teams have become much shorter. And with the Cavs being a second apron team, time is ticking as to just how long they could keep their core together without having to shell out an inordinate amount of money.
Thus, it’s understandable why they’re gearing up for another push come the 2025-26 season. The Cavs have depth across multiple positions, and even managed to replace Ty Jerome with Ball. They also kept Sam Merrill, and retained their depth on the wing (Max Strus, De’Andre Hunter, Jaylon Tyson). Nance is also coming in to provide backup minutes for both big man positions.
It’s not quite clear how much gas Nance has left in the tank after a knee injury cut his 2024-25 season short with the Atlanta Hawks. But he is committed to the Cavs’ cause and should provide valuable depth behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, provided that he remains healthy.
