Six-year veteran Larry Nance Jr. is a versatile defender who can contribute some scoring, rebounding and playmaking.
PORTLAND — The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired forward Larry Nance Jr. from Cleveland as part of a three-team trade that sends Derrick Jones Jr. and a protected first round pick to Chicago, it was announced today by president of basketball operations Neil Olshey.
Nance, 28, averaged 9.3 points (47.1% FG, 36.0% 3-PT, 61.2% FT), 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.74 steals and 31.2 minutes in 35 games (27 starts) for the Cavaliers in 2020-21. He was one of five players in the NBA that averaged at least 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.50 steals last season.
“Larry is a talented and versatile player that impacts winning on both ends of the floor,” said Olshey. “We welcome him and his family to Portland and look forward to his contributions on the court and in our community.”
Originally selected by the L.A. Lakers with the 27th overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, Nance (6-7, 245) holds career averages of 8.3 points (52.9% FG, 33.3% 3-PT, 68.75 FT), 6.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.26 steals and 24.2 minutes in 350 games (123 starts) with the Lakers and Cleveland. A native of Akron, Ohio, Nance played collegiately for four seasons at Wyoming.
Jones was signed as a free agent by Portland on November 22, 2020. He played in 58 games (43 starts) in his lone season with the Trail Blazers, posting averages of 6.8 points (48.4% FG, 31.6% 3-PT, 64.8% FT), 3.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 22.7 minutes.
To complete the trade, Cleveland received forward Lauri Markkanen from Chicago and Chicago received a future second-round draft pick from Cleveland.
