Trade Larry Nance Jr traded to Portland

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THE HCP said:
“AS WELL”?!?!
Fuck outta’ here SABONIS IS #11!!! Nobody can touch him.
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Put some respect on his name FAMS!!

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blazerkor said:
I think with Nance here RoCo could be included in a trade of CJ and RoCo for Ben. I don't see the Sixers getting pieces that fit them better than that, with that much talent and if it came down to it and we wanted to include a future first we could just have the protection taken off of the Cavs pick.
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Sixers fans love RoCo too. Would be a feel good trade for them.
 
How much does Larry Nance Jr. move the needle in Portland?
Nance should help in Portland. He’s a smart, disruptive defender who ranked sixth in the NBA in deflections per game last season, and who’s tied for the second-highest steal rate among frontcourt players since entering the league in 2015, according to Basketball-Reference. He’s versatile, too: The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Nance spent most of his floor time guarding opposing power forwards, but he also dealt with point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, and centers on at least 10 percent of his defensive possessions, according to The BBall Index’s charting data.

With his strength and length, Nance could slide up to work as a 5, helping Portland find more stable paths to small-ball lineups that can leverage all of its shooting and playmaking prowess. With his quickness and athleticism, he could also bump down to serve (albeit somewhat awkwardly) as a jumbo 3—something he did quite a bit in kludged-together Cleveland lineups over the past couple of seasons—to give the Blazers a bit more brawn on the wing. Units featuring Nance, Robert Covington, and new backup center Cody Zeller should be able to capably switch across the frontcourt. Nance won’t lock up an opponent’s no. 1 scorer, but he can hold his own against threats of varying shapes and sizes, giving incoming head coach Chauncey Billups a quality option as he looks for answers to shake up last season’s second-worst defense. (Not that the Blazers needed any roster modifications to produce better defensive results; just ask Neil Olshey!)

Nance should prove a snug fit on the other end, too, as a low-usage engine-room type. He can work as a screen-and-dive big man with the hops to rise up above the defense and finish at the rim. He’s become a more viable shooting threat, hitting 35 percent of his 3s on about three attempts per 36 minutes of floor time over the past three seasons. Most importantly, though, Nance is a canny passer, dishing assists on just over 15 percent of his teammates’ baskets in that three-season span; only a dozen bigs have boasted a higher assist rate in that stretch. He’s a ball mover with good touch and vision, capable of finding shooters in transition, making high-low feeds to the paint, feeding the post, operating as a dribble-handoff hub from the elbows, and acting as a release-valve option on the short roll in the screen game:

That last bit might be the most important in Portland, where opponents love to dial up the pressure on Damian Lillard with blitzes and traps, in hopes of forcing the ball out of Dame’s hands and making his teammates beat them. The Blazers have struggled to win in those situations over the years—a big reason why so many have called for roster-rebalancing trades aimed at importing frontcourt playmakers like Draymond Green, Aaron Gordon, or Pascal Siakam who could alleviate the pressure on Lillard and CJ McCollum at the point of attack, keep the ball moving, and create scoring chances for others.

Nance isn’t quite on their level (PERSONAL INTERJECTION, NANCE IS BETTER THAN GORDON) and he’s also not quite as reliable; he’s never played more than 67 games in a season, and he missed 37 games last season with a variety of injuries. He’s that type of player, though: a useful one on both ends of the court, imported at the cost of Derrick Jones Jr. (signed last summer, a starter for more than half the season, and out of the rotation by the playoffs) and a first-round pick that’s lottery-protected from now until 2028. If he’s healthy, he’ll help, and he didn’t cost Olshey any part of the starting five in which he believes so strongly. (Though if protecting the pick that far out winds up encumbering Portland from trading other future firsts in deals that could help improve this year’s team even further, Olshey might regret it.)

It’s unlikely, though, that adding Nance on its own represents the sort of “urgent” big swing that Lillard’s been looking for all summer. Shy of moving McCollum—something Olshey’s long seemed wholly unwilling to even consider—or shopping every draft pick in the cupboard in pursuit of some other higher-end target, it’s hard to find the serious ceiling-raiser that Portland could pluck at this stage in the game. Perfect shouldn’t necessarily be the enemy of good, and the Blazers got better on Friday. Whether they’re better enough to convince the franchise player to stick around, though, remains in question.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/...-nance-derrick-jones-trade-cavs-bulls-blazers
 
Scalma said:
How much does Larry Nance Jr. move the needle in Portland?
Nance should help in Portland. He’s a smart, disruptive defender who ranked sixth in the NBA in deflections per game last season, and who’s tied for the second-highest steal rate among frontcourt players since entering the league in 2015, according to Basketball-Reference. He’s versatile, too: The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Nance spent most of his floor time guarding opposing power forwards, but he also dealt with point guards, shooting guards, small forwards, and centers on at least 10 percent of his defensive possessions, according to The BBall Index’s charting data.

With his strength and length, Nance could slide up to work as a 5, helping Portland find more stable paths to small-ball lineups that can leverage all of its shooting and playmaking prowess. With his quickness and athleticism, he could also bump down to serve (albeit somewhat awkwardly) as a jumbo 3—something he did quite a bit in kludged-together Cleveland lineups over the past couple of seasons—to give the Blazers a bit more brawn on the wing. Units featuring Nance, Robert Covington, and new backup center Cody Zeller should be able to capably switch across the frontcourt. Nance won’t lock up an opponent’s no. 1 scorer, but he can hold his own against threats of varying shapes and sizes, giving incoming head coach Chauncey Billups a quality option as he looks for answers to shake up last season’s second-worst defense. (Not that the Blazers needed any roster modifications to produce better defensive results; just ask Neil Olshey!)

Nance should prove a snug fit on the other end, too, as a low-usage engine-room type. He can work as a screen-and-dive big man with the hops to rise up above the defense and finish at the rim. He’s become a more viable shooting threat, hitting 35 percent of his 3s on about three attempts per 36 minutes of floor time over the past three seasons. Most importantly, though, Nance is a canny passer, dishing assists on just over 15 percent of his teammates’ baskets in that three-season span; only a dozen bigs have boasted a higher assist rate in that stretch. He’s a ball mover with good touch and vision, capable of finding shooters in transition, making high-low feeds to the paint, feeding the post, operating as a dribble-handoff hub from the elbows, and acting as a release-valve option on the short roll in the screen game:

That last bit might be the most important in Portland, where opponents love to dial up the pressure on Damian Lillard with blitzes and traps, in hopes of forcing the ball out of Dame’s hands and making his teammates beat them. The Blazers have struggled to win in those situations over the years—a big reason why so many have called for roster-rebalancing trades aimed at importing frontcourt playmakers like Draymond Green, Aaron Gordon, or Pascal Siakam who could alleviate the pressure on Lillard and CJ McCollum at the point of attack, keep the ball moving, and create scoring chances for others.

Nance isn’t quite on their level (PERSONAL INTERJECTION, NANCE IS BETTER THAN GORDON) and he’s also not quite as reliable; he’s never played more than 67 games in a season, and he missed 37 games last season with a variety of injuries. He’s that type of player, though: a useful one on both ends of the court, imported at the cost of Derrick Jones Jr. (signed last summer, a starter for more than half the season, and out of the rotation by the playoffs) and a first-round pick that’s lottery-protected from now until 2028. If he’s healthy, he’ll help, and he didn’t cost Olshey any part of the starting five in which he believes so strongly. (Though if protecting the pick that far out winds up encumbering Portland from trading other future firsts in deals that could help improve this year’s team even further, Olshey might regret it.)

It’s unlikely, though, that adding Nance on its own represents the sort of “urgent” big swing that Lillard’s been looking for all summer. Shy of moving McCollum—something Olshey’s long seemed wholly unwilling to even consider—or shopping every draft pick in the cupboard in pursuit of some other higher-end target, it’s hard to find the serious ceiling-raiser that Portland could pluck at this stage in the game. Perfect shouldn’t necessarily be the enemy of good, and the Blazers got better on Friday. Whether they’re better enough to convince the franchise player to stick around, though, remains in question.
https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/...-nance-derrick-jones-trade-cavs-bulls-blazers
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Excellent analysis.
 
https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-larry-nance-jr-brings-to-the-portland-trail-blazers

What Larry Nance Jr. brings to the Portland Trail Blazers


NEKIAS DUNCAN
2 DAYS



We got some August randomness on Friday, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers hooking up on a three-way sign-and-trade deal.

The Cavaliers landed forward Lauri Markkanen (four years, $67 million) from the Bulls; the Bulls received Derrick Jones Jr. and a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick from the Blazers, and a 2023 second-round pick (via Denver) from the Cavaliers.

The early winner of the trade would be the Blazers, who acquired forward Larry Nance Jr. from the Cavaliers. It isn't the star swing that Blazer fans – and probably Damian Lillard – were hoping for. It is, however, a strong move toward adding frontcourt versatility on both ends of the floor.

The 28-year-old is coming off a productive, yet injury-shortened campaign in which he averaged 9.3 points (55/36/61), 6.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists and a career-high 1.7 steals per contest. Those aren't numbers that scream at you (aside from the steals, maybe), but they paint the picture of one of the NBA's most underrated gap-fillers.

Off the ball, Nance Jr. provides value as a screener or cutter. Thanks to his blend of athleticism and improved shooting stroke, he can operate as a roller or pop man in ball-screen actions. He doesn't just recognize what space to fill; there's a certain cadence to the way he fills it. It depends on how zippy his ball-handling partner is and, naturally, how the defense reacts.

A big who can space and roll is inherently valuable as a screening partner. The fact that Nance Jr. has a little bit of short-area creation – he can take a dribble or two, spin, then finish over the top with jump hooks – is a bonus. Factor in his processing speed and passing ability, and you have a true short-roll threat on your hands.

That makes the future partnership between Nance Jr. and Damian Lillard a fun one to envision. Lillard has logo range on his jumper and consistently draws two defenders in ball-screen situations. Giving Nance Jr. a runway should make him even more dangerous as a finisher, and further unlock his passing chops. Get ready for more possessions like this.

Nance Jr.'s utility to a short-roll passer will be useful, but it's important to note that isn't the only context in which his passing can provide value. He's a grab-and-go threat after defensive rebounds, able to map out the floor and make reads in transition. In the half-court, he can be used as a high-post hub, or create passing windows with random cuts against bent defenses.

The possibilities with Nance Jr. are endless. High pick-and-rolls or impromptu handoffs with Lillard or C.J. McCollum. Post split action with Norm Powell flying downhill. High-low reads between Nance Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic. The Blazers will appreciate the versatility – and the randomness – that he'll inject into the offense.

On the other side of the floor, Nance Jr. provides a level of versatility that few forwards in the NBA can match. Before injuries derailed his (and the Cavaliers') season, Nance Jr. was putting together an All-Defensive-Team-caliber campaign.

He's truly destructive as a help defender, an important trait for a Blazers team that employs a pair of small guards who struggle with screen navigation. Nance Jr.'s combination of length and mobility allows him to disrupt ball-handlers at the nail, play the passing lanes on kickouts, and erase interior openings with timely rotations.

Nance Jr. is also switchable as a defender. He's most comfortable defending forwards – he's primarily a 4, though the Cavs played him at the 3 in some of their jumbo lineups. He does, however, possess the mobility to hang with guards in a pinch. For a guy his size, he does a solid job of mirroring ball-handlers in space.

He doesn't possess the strength to consistently play the 5, though there may be certain matchups that the Blazers could slide him down a spot. We may very well see a Lillard-McCollum-Powell-Robert Covington-Nance Jr. lineup get burn throughout the year.

In Nance Jr., the Blazers have a bridge on both ends of the floor. With his playmaking and vertical "oomph," he serves as a near-perfect complement to the pull-up prowess of Lillard. More importantly, his creativity – random screens, cuts, handoffs – can help make life easier for the non-Lillard/McCollum players if possessions break down early in the clock.

Defensively, it's hard not to get excited about the type of impact Nance Jr. can provide. If the Blazers do stick with drop coverage as their base, he can get busy as a helper at the nail or as a weakside rim protector lower on the floor. The prospect of Nance Jr. and Covington wrecking worlds on the perimeter while Nurkic, a steady if not scheme-limited rim protector, sets up shop in the paint could be the foundation of a good-enough defense.

Is the Nance Jr. move enough to save what has otherwise been a questionable offseason for the Blazers? The jury is very much out right now. But it is undoubtedly a move in the right direction, and one that should make life easier for the franchise's star on both ends of the floor.
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It will interesting to see if he starts. It is not always who is best. If NP does start at SF then I think you start Nance alongside Nurk. Get that chemistry between
Dame, CJ, NP Nurk, and LNJ started early.

A 2nd unit of Simons, Snell, Little, Roco, and Zeller would not be bad if Chauncey thinks that there are enough ball handlers in that 2nd unit.
 
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Buffalo Custard said:
I'll go on record right now - folks are going to miss Kanter. Does anyone here really think Zeller could have defended Joker so well he changed the outcome of the series?

Last season, his defensive rating was 4 points better than Kanter. His offensive rating was 7 points worse. I'm not convinced that is a net improvement!
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I will miss Kanter, would've liked to have him back to give the bench some offensive options.

Having Melo and Kanter together on the bench was stupid, but having one is nice. The problem with Melo is he won't accept a 11th man role. Maybe Kanter wouldn't have either.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
It will interesting to see if he starts. It is not always who is best. If NP does start at SF then I think you start Nance alongside Nurk. Get that chemistry between
Dame, CJ, NP Nurk, and LNJ started early.

A 2nd unit of Simons, Snell, Little, Roco, and Zeller would not be bad if Chauncey thinks that there are enough ball handlers in that 2nd unit.
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nance fits better with that second unit and your second paragraph is a big reason why. Simons isn’t a great playmaker and it doesn’t sound like CJ will be on the second unit. Nance can still play with the starters in certain matchups, like when other teams go small. Even if he doesn’t start I think he’ll see heavy minutes.
 
Why did mods merge the thread about Nance with the one joking about breaking Nance news. Nothing makes sense now. Darn. I was just going to post the pic below with with the suggestion we trade for this Nance guy. But now all hope is lost.
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Further said:
Why did mods merge the thread about Nance with the one joking about breaking Nance news. Nothing makes sense now. Darn. I was just going to post the pic below with with the suggestion we trade for this Nance guy. But now all hope is lost.
View attachment 40443
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Nothing ever made sense. When we all accept this fact of life we'll be much better off.
 
Scalma said:
nance fits better with that second unit and your second paragraph is a big reason why. Simons isn’t a great playmaker and it doesn’t sound like CJ will be on the second unit. Nance can still play with the starters in certain matchups, like when other teams go small. Even if he doesn’t start I think he’ll see heavy minutes.
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Yeah but if that is the concern then technically Nance could still start and Roco could come in for him after 6 minutes, then he could return to begin the 2nd quarter. Essentially what CJ has done the last couple of years.

I would guess there are other options as well. I just think Nance is the better PF over Roco. Not saying he is the better overall player, just that if we go small with NP at SF then I think we go bigger at PF with Nance.

I do think that Chauncey has options and injuries will dictate a lot of it throughout the season. If NP, CJ or Dame are out, then maybe Roco and Nance both start. I wouldn't even mind seeing a Dame, NP, Snell, Nance, and Nurk starting unit at times. People can talk shit about Snell all they want but he is still a 40% 3 pt shooter and his D is not horrible like some suggest. Again Chauncey will have options when injuries occur....and they will occur.
 
Pinwheel1 said:
A 2nd unit of Simons, Snell, Little, Roco, and Zeller would not be bad if Chauncey thinks that there are enough ball handlers in that 2nd unit.
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Well he SHOULDN'T! Zeller might be the best of that bunch.
 
I think we'll see lineups where Nance replaces Nurk with the starters a fair amount - like when the Warriors sat their starting C and brought in Iguodala, and that was their lineup of death.
 
Rastapopoulos said:
Well he SHOULDN'T! Zeller might be the best of that bunch.
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Zeller can handle the ball well for a center and Nance can handle the ball well for a PF. So although I agree there would be a concern, both bigs can help bring the ball up coutrt. After that, it will depend on the offense that Chauncy runs. Many offenses these days do not require a main playmaker, not if you have a lot of ball movement.
 
So we tried to get Lauri and Brooks before Nance?

Is this another case of Neil lucking into someone better for this team after missing on his first (and second) choice?
 
Scalma said:
or he decided he wanted nance instead, crazy concept I know.
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Perhaps.

The thought process on Lauri is definitely intriguing. And it should indicate potential future targets maybe. I kinda wanted to kick the tires on him, but Nance is clearly the better fit.

I'm meh on Brooks. Think he's completely overrated on this board because of his Oregon ties.
 
illmatic99 said:
i don't get why people continue to harp on this as if moving CJ to the bench is the end all solution to our roster imbalance issues. And here are CJ's thoughts on coming off the bench. Hell, CJ already leads the 2nd unit and there's a lot of staggering of minutes with him and Dame as is. I don't see what the big benefit would be by having him wait 5 minutes before getting in.

The main issue here is that our SF is 6'3. That's not a CJ issue-- that's a Powell issue.



it ain't happening.
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I know I've heard this before but when he said it we were in a different situation with out a possible replacement.
We now have someone who can replace him. I wonder how he would answer this question now. Because if he wouldn't consider coming off
the bench RIGHT NOW, and that might be the best option for the TEAM defensively, then get him gone....

Just not for Ben Simmons...
 
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