NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Larry Nance Jr's Contract, Nate Robinson and More
The Cleveland Cavaliers are clearly a team in transition after LeBron James left at the start of free agency and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Cavs once again have to learn how to live without LeBron and somehow find a way to compete. That will not be easy, but it appears Larry Nance Jr. is likely to play an important role for Cleveland.
Yahoo's Jordan Schultz's sources said Nance and the Cavaliers are discussing an extension on the player's contract.
Schultz tweeted that the Cavaliers like Nance's game, and they are especially enamored with his shooting ability. Nance came to the Cavs in the middle of the 2017-18 season, and he averaged 8.9 points per game while shooting 55.0 percent from the field.
Throughout the 2017-18 season, while playing with both the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, Nance averaged 8.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per night while shooting 58.1 percent from the field. Nance averaged 21.5 minutes per game this season.
Nance is a relative bargain, as he is scheduled to earn less than $2.3 million in 2018-19.
Meanwhile, playing Big3 basketball appears to be paying off for veteran guard Nate Robinson.
Robinson has signed a one-year contract with Homenetmen Beirut, according to Yahoo NBA insider Shams Charania.
Robinson is an 11-year NBA veteran who last played in the league in 2015-16 with the New Orleans Pelicans. The 5'9" point guard is a three-time winner of the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest. He has averaged 11.0 points and 3.0 assists during his NBA career while shooting 42.3 percent for his career.
Robinson is averaging 10.9 points and 2.0 assists per game in the Big 3 League while playing for Tri-State.
Elsewhere, forward Luol Deng of the Los Angeles Lakers did not figure in the team's rotation last season after starting opening night, and it doesn't look like there is a place for him on the team going forward despite signing a $72 million contract in the summer of 2016.
Deng told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com last November that he wanted to be moved if the Lakers weren't going to use him. That did not happen last season.
Deng was the captain of Team Africa in the NBA Africa game, and he scored 14 points and flashed his defensive talent as well as his ability to attack the rim.
While Deng has no guarantees, he did not hurt himself with his performance in the event. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka saw the game live, and it may have given him something to think about.
