Cleveland Cavaliers: Would Larry Sanders Be A Good Fit?

Larry Sanders is potentially looking to get back into the NBA after a two-year hiatus. Would he be a good fit for the Cleveland Cavaliers?

Welcome to another edition of “What center will fit best?” with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In some of my past articles, I’ve mentioned how the Cavaliers should consider other options at the center position. Some might think I have an issue with Tristan Thompson starting there, but I don’t.

Thompson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the NBA–along with being one of the hardest working players, but i’m one of those people that prefers height and length in a player–6-foot-10 isn’t short, however, for a center. It’s just a little undersized to me.

I’m a fan of the 6-foot-11-plus big men. At times, Thompson can get blocked easily on put backs or dunks and if he was just a little taller, it wouldn’t be an issue. Some will probably mention Ben Wallace as an example, but their games were completely different.

The NBA is going more towards the multi-dimensional, athletic center. For example, Hassan Whiteside, Jordan Hill, Joakim Noah, Myles Turner, and of course, Larry Sanders.

Marc Gasol and DeMarcus Cousins are a flashback of what the big man used to be, but their talent and ability is rare at their size.

Sanders hinted at a potential comeback on Twitter last month.

https://twitter.com/LarrySanders/status/757624289562533889

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He posted a series of polls for fans of numerous teams to vote on to see what team he might consider. I doubt that it would have any bearing of a final decision, but it was interesting to see.

He also tweeted out two separate pictures. One was of The Warriors movie and the other of a Cavalier painting. That made some believe that he might be considering the Golden State Warriors or the Cavaliers.

However, it could have just been his unique way of showing the two NBA Finals teams in a different way.

Sanders hasn’t played in the NBA since 2014 with the Milwaukee Bucks. He only played in 27 games that season after suddenly missing seven games in the month of December.

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) reacts after dunking the ball against the Golden State Warriors during the fourth quarter in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

As CBSSports.com had reported, Sanders decided to leave the NBA due to issues with anxiety and depression.

He also had interest in pursuing other endeavors such as making and producing music.

Could Sanders possibly get an invite to a camp or sign with a team? That remains to be seen.

But if he is anything like he showed to be with the Bucks, he would be a steal.

Presently, the Cavaliers only have Thompson and Chris Andersen as their centers.

Thompson will obviously be the starter this season with Andersen–and Channing Frye at times–backing him up.

It isn’t known how much Andersen has left in the tank, and Frye is used mainly as a stretch center. So why not give Sanders a shot?

He’s only 27 years old, and has missed only two years of action. Sanders also possesses the one thing that the Cavs have lacked within the interior: defense.

When I watched him play with the Bucks, he was either blocking the ball or defending opposing centers and making them turn the ball over. He was also known for his exciting dunks and playing with attitude.

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Sanders was also relentless on put backs and didn’t give up on any possessions. His length and ability to run the floor would be great in the

Tyronn Lue

offense.

If Cavalier fans thought there were long rebounds last season, just wait until Sanders would get a block, pass it to Kevin Love as he would relay it to either Kyrie Irving or LeBron James up the court. It would be even more exciting basketball in Cleveland.

Some fans might question his 7.3 points per game during his last season, but that won’t be an issue. Just like with Frye, Sanders will get more open opportunities to score with opposing defenses worried about “The Big Three.”

He’s not going to average 15 points a game–since he is mainly a defensive center, but he will contribute on both ends of the floor and bring more toughness to the team.

Maybe I should just enjoy what Thompson brings to the team and accept him as the starting center. But the 1.8 career blocks of Sanders compared to the 0.7 career blocks of Thompson, along with Sanders’ athleticism make him a great fit for the team.

More hoops habit: The 30 Best Centers of All-Time

I know the Cavaliers will potentially repeat as they are, but you can never have enough depth.

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