According to multiple reports, the Cleveland Cavaliers have begin discussion a contract extension for forward Larry Nance Jr., who will have the option to become a restricted free agent next summer after making $2.2 million this season on the final year of his current contract.
Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports first reported the alleged talks between team and player on Twitter when he sent out the following Tweet on Thursday afternoon:
“Sources: #Cavs having ongoing discussions with Larry Nance, Jr. representation regarding a contract extension. Both sides would like a new deal (CLE really likes him). Nance – who posted a career-high TSP last season – is currently scheduled to earn less than $2.3M next year.”
Nance, who came to Cleveland after trading Isaiah Thomas to the Los Angeles Lakers, had his best season of his young career in Wine & Gold, averaging 8.9 PPG on 55% from the field, to go along with 7.0 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.2 APG, and a career-high .8 BPG. Nance has shown himself to be a great defensive force this past season, as he was ranked 4th among all centers with 2.4 pass deflections per game last season. He is very active at defending the low post, but also has the athleticism and length to guard forwards out in 3-point land. His biggest disadvantage is his strength, as he is often exploited on the block by larger, more physical centers, so this offseason, if he wants a large and long-term contract extension, he should show the Cavs that he’s working on his weaknesses.
As for offensive production, he does bolster a great field goal percentage at 55%, but is rather inconsistent with his jump shot. There are games where the shot is falling, which allows him to be a multidimensional player and not just settle for an close-range shot, but other times, he can’t seem to buy a bucket. Again, on offense, Nance’s athleticism is his best characteristic, as he often outrebounds the opposing team’s big men with his astounding vertical. He is also a great player to utilize in the pick-and-roll, and is excellent at finishing alley-oops.
Nance’s stats get even better when you throw out the garbage time minutes and only focus on last season’s stats per 36 minutes of playing time. Over 36 minutes, Nance averaged 14.5 PPG on 60.5%, as well as 11.5 RPG, 2.1 APG, 2.2 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. This metric is a much better factor to measure a player’s production, as it eliminates any “useless” minutes, where the outcome of the game will no longer be affected by the players on the court, and as a result, usually the players don’t play or try as hard as they would if the game was closer in score.
Nance will probably be getting a 4-5 year extension worth about $8-$10 million a year, and he will be a core resource for the team moving forward. He’s young (just 25 years old), athletic, and has a work ethic that can elevate his game to the next level. If a deal gets done, expect Nance to be playing more minutes over the course of the next few seasons, especially with no LeBron James on the roster anymore.
Feature Image via Flikr/Erik Drost
