Cleveland Cavaliers: What each new player adds to the team
By Ryan Piers
Larry Nance Jr.
The Akron Beacon Journal wrote a nice piece on Peter Nance, Larry Nance Jr.’s brother. To summarize, it reflected the excitement the two share about being reunited as Nance Jr. returns to the city his father once captivated.
Returning home can be empowering for an athlete. It can also add pressure and outside distractions. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence to support both sides.
But the Nance-Cleveland partnership just feels right — like Aaron Rodgers and Danica Patrick right. The Cavs severely lack athleticism in the post; an explosive playmaker to punctuate possessions and clean up down low.
Nance is an incredible finisher, hence his participation in the Slam Dunk Competition later this week. But more than that, he’s consistent. Breaking down 60.1 field goal percentage, Nance makes 76.2 percent of his shots under three feet.
DeAndre Jordan, a more expensive player on the Cavs wish list, is shooting 71.7 percent under three feet.
Point being, Cleveland has a young, dynamic post player who spends most of his time around the rim. He lacks the size of most paint pounders, at “just” 6’9”, but certainly not the athleticism, as evident by some of these slams.
Next: Biggest winners and losers of the 2018 NBA Trade Deadline
The Cavaliers will see what they have in each of their four new players when they take on the Boston Celtics Sunday afternoon.