Coming into the offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers knew that they needed to make a move that would help win a championship or at least compete. They have now done that by hitting a double to acquire Larry Nance Jr.
The Portland Trail Blazers were involved in a three-team trade:
The Portland Trail Blazers will be sending away Derrick Jones Jr. and a protected first-round pick that is protected 1-14 and can stretch all the way to 2028.
The move may not be all Portland does. There is now one month left until the NBA season starts. Though, if Nance stays in Portland, he will most likely slot into a backup PF role. This would still leave the starting five the same as last season, but add some scoring and defense to the bench that you can bring in with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum if the Blazers continue to stagger their minutes.
Larry Nance Jr. will add a much-needed frontcourt presence for the Portland Trail Blazers. In the 2020-21 season with the Cavaliers, Nance averaged 9.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over 35 games. He missed time late in the season due to a fractured thumb. Nance was drafted in 2015 by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th pick. He played for the Lakers for three seasons before being traded to the Cavaliers.
According to Blazers Edge:
“Nance is not going to be one of your primary scorers. He’s an opportunity/outlet player. I don’t know that he’s in line to be “special”, as you put it. I think the Blazers might consider him a Jusuf Nurkic type acquisition, a player with untapped ceiling who could blossom into a good starter, but not a star.”
Taking that into consideration, and the fact that you have Roy Rogers on your bench. This trade makes sense for the Portland Trail Blazers, Rogers could help the big man untap some potential as he did with Ivica Zubac. Nance is scheduled to make $10.7 million and $9.7 million over the next two seasons.
Trail Blazers Rotation After This Trade:
Starters: Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Robert Covington, Jusuf Nurkic
Bench: Anfernee Simons, Larry Nance Jr., Nassir Little, Tony Snell, Ben McLemore, CJ Elleby, Greg Brown, Trendon Watford
Although the Blazers seem content with running the same starting group back, it’s tough to say whether or not Nance should start. Either way, acquiring Larry Nance Jr, is not a home run or an elite trade but rather a double that will provide Portland with a little bit of flexibility.
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