The Atlanta Hawks are finally fully healthy, and Larry Nance Jr. has fallen out of the rotation as a result. The veteran big man has played phenomenal basketball for Atlanta when given the opportunity, but he hasn’t seen the court since Nov. 17.
While Nance is one of the best bench bigs a team could ask for, his expiring contract and lack of fit on the Hawks' timeline make him an obvious trade candidate. Many contending teams should already be gauging Nance’s value as a potential trade target.
Have now watched the last three games the Hawks have played, and man: Larry Nance Jr. is, IMO, one of the best trade targets for a contending team on the market.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) November 10, 2024
Has been SO helpful for ATL off the bench. Ball movement, versatile defender, hitting shots. Expiring 11M contract.
In nine games this season, Nance has averaged 7.9 points on 65.1% shooting from the field. He has also nailed an incredible 63.6% of his threes while making 1.6 treys per contest. Nance is also grabbing 2.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes.
Nance has done all of this for the Hawks in just 15.6 minutes per game. The 31-year-old is a Swiss Army Knife with defensive energy and versatility, floor-spacing value, and underrated playmaking. Many teams would be foolish not to pursue Nance and his versatile skill set.
Here are 3 trade destinations that make the most sense for Larry Nance Jr.
1) The Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder have a huge hole to fill with the absence of Chet Holmgren. Holmgren’s pelvic fracture will likely keep him out for at least another six to eight weeks, which means the Thunder will be without their defensive anchor and No. 3 scoring option for a significant chunk of the season.
The Thunder have their sights set on a championship, and the No. 1 seed would certainly help their case. In a highly competitive Western Conference, OKC will need as many reinforcements as possible to secure that top spot.
With young big man Jaylin Williams also sidelined due to injury, Isaiah Hartenstein is OKC’s only true center available right now. Adding Nance Jr. to the mix would allow Hartenstein, who recently recovered from a fractured hand, to ease back into his minutes more easily.
Nance would fit like a glove in Oklahoma City. He would be joining the NBA’s top-rated defense and would get to serve as a dribble-hand-off playmaker and pick-and-roll hub for a talented collection of high-IQ ball-handlers and shooters.
At this stage of his career, Nance would benefit most from joining this type of environment. Based on his early-season production for the Hawks, he has plenty of gas left in the tank. He would get to play a pivotal depth role for a contender while Holmgren recovers, and his presence would likely allow the Thunder to take more time bringing their star big man back.
Trading with the Thunder would also give the Hawks their best shot at getting multiple picks back for Nance. OKC has a loaded arsenal of draft compensation at its disposal, including up to four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft.
If the Thunder want Nance badly enough, they may be willing to give up multiple picks for the coveted big man. OKC should be on the hunt for someone who can absorb some of Hartenstein’s minutes, and the solution could not be clearer.
2) The Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings may not be full-on title contenders, but they are looking to win now and potentially achieve contender status down the road. Now that the Kings have fixed some of their defensive issues, their biggest problem might be their depth.
De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, and Keegan Murray all rank top-10 in minutes per game this season. Demar Derozan isn’t far behind at No. 13 in the league. For a team looking to make the playoffs and potentially save the legs of its starters down the stretch, a deeper rotation wouldn’t exactly hurt.
With stretch-four Trey Lyles and 12-year vet Alex Len lined up as the roster’s only backup options for Sabonis, Sacramento could use Nance as much as any team in the league. Allen Stiles of Sactown Sports 1140 recently included Nance in his list of early trade targets for the Kings.
Nance also shares some similarities to Sabonis from a playstyle perspective. While Nance cannot produce the All-Star numbers Sabonis has put up for years now, he has great vision for a backup big. Sabonis’ elite passing and screening are on another level, but Nance can fill that void of playmaking and physicality when Sabonis rests better than anyone on the current Kings roster.
Sabonis has also increased his 3-point volume and efficiency this season, sinking a career-high 1.1 threes per game on 42.2% shooting. Nance has had a career year from beyond the arc as well, making his fit as Sabonis’ backup even more sensible.
Nance would fit everything the Kings want to do on offense while becoming their best defensive big on the roster. Sacramento has boasted a top-15 defense over the last two seasons, which is a huge improvement compared to years prior. However, they could make a top-10 leap with a reliable rim protector like Nance in the rotation.
If the Kings are willing to give up a draft pick along with Trey Lyles’ expiring contract, they could strike a deal with Atlanta. Lyles has averaged just 5.4 points on 36.3% shooting this season, and he just suffered a calf strain that will keep him out for at least three weeks.
3) The Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers may have the best record in basketball, but their only big man outside of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley is a 33-year-old Tristan Thompson. Cleveland’s lack of size on the bench could hurt them in the postseason, especially if one of Allen or Mobley sustains an injury.
Nance played for the Cavs in the prime of his career, spending almost four seasons with his legendary father’s former team. From the 2018 trade deadline to the end of the 2020-21 season, Nance played 182 games for Cleveland. He averaged 9.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists while starting in 76 of those contests.
Nance also averaged 1.4 steals during his time as a Cavalier. He still brings that same defensive energy to the table, which could make a huge difference for a contending team like Cleveland.
The Cavs start both of their rim protectors together, but they sometimes finish games with one of Mobley or Allen on the bench for spacing purposes. When Cleveland needs 3-point shooting, they usually keep Mobley out there with smaller forwards like Georges Niang and Dean Wade around him.
Nobody in Cleveland’s bench rotation is shooting as lights-out as Nance is this season. More importantly, none of them can protect the rim while stretching the floor like Nance. Nance’s unique skill set could make him a game-changer for Cleveland’s championship hopes.
With multiple tradeable contracts on their bench, the Cavs can pull the trigger on going for Nance if they want to. With a championship window potentially opening up for them, the Cavs might regret it if they don’t.