3 Cavaliers that could surprise

1. Larry Nance Jr.

Few players on the Cleveland Cavaliers showed more improvement than Larry Nance Jr. last year.

In seasons prior, Nance was nothing more than an athletic forward with the skill to pull off a highlight dunk every now and then. Nance understood that his athleticism would only take him so far as he began to take significant strides as a playmaker, defender and shooter.

Let’s start with playmaking. Nance has shown clear signs of growth as a ball-handler. He constantly keeps his head up and is always looking to make passes to cutters. Consequently, the Cavaliers frequently allow Nance to hold the ball at the top of the key and run the offense through his eyes.

This is made possible by Nance’s improvements as a shooter. Nance knocked down a career-high 33 3-pointers and shot 33.7 percent from beyond the arch. These numbers aren’t jaw-dropping, but they display his willingness to improve. His threat to shoot the deep ball kept opposing defenses honest and helped to spread the floor offensively for Cleveland.

Lastly, Nance is dedicated to becoming a better defender. He has always had the physical tools needed to make an impact but he lacked the motivation. Nance has already set goals for himself including a wish to lead the league in steals.

It is uncertain if Nance will be able to accomplish each of his goals, but his mind is in the right place. We should expect Nance to look like a completely different player as he earns the respect of his peers.