Cleveland Cavaliers: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

Defensive Player of the Year: Larry Nance Jr.

Larry Nance Jr. is the other piece that was included in the aforementioned trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. When he arrived in Cleveland, most people thought of him as just another role player. All those people were mistaken, though.

Nance affected the game whenever he stepped on the court in a way that nobody expected, providing the team with a much-needed spark of energy and hustle off the bench. He quickly became a permanent part of the rotation due to his consistency.

Averaging a career high in points, rebounds and blocks, Nance was one of the few sparks in an otherwise wan season for the Cleveland Cavaliers. His numbers speak for themselves: 8.9 points and 7.0 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game.

If we take a look at his per 36 minutes stats, Nance averaged 15.4 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.3 blocks. Those are without a doubt, numbers worthy of this kind of award.

Even though Nance will not be playing 36 minutes this season, he could potentially start and spend approximately 30 minutes on the floor every night. That might be enough to put him in consideration for the award, but it feels unlikely overall.