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The Portland Trail Blazers added Larry Nance Jr. in a three-team trade that included the Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. In the deal, the Blazers sent out Derrick Jones Jr. and a 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick to acquire Nance.
At the center of the trade was Lauri Markkanen, who was signed and traded to the Cavs by the Bulls. Chicago received Jones and picks from the deal, but it looks like the Portland Trail Blazers have been the big winners in this trade.
So what makes the Trail Blazers the winners in this deal?
Portland Trail Blazers Grade: A-
The addition of Larry Nance Jr. is the best move the Portland Trail Blazers have made this offseason. Before the Nance trade, the Blazers’ additions included Ben McLemore, Cody Zeller, Tony Snell, Trendon Watford and rookie Greg Brown.
They also re-signed Norman Powell, by the way, but this was the only splash they made in free agency. That’s why Larry Nance Jr. is a big deal to the Blazers, as it cost them little, both personnel-wise and financially.
Nance may not be a superstar signing, but he’s a huge upgrade over Jones, who was supposed to provide them with a versatile defensive wing who can score a bit. The offense came in trickles at the rate of just 6.8 points per game while providing very little by way of three-point threat (31.6%).
On the other hand, Larry Nance Jr. is a much better three-point shooter (36%) after he worked hard during the past few offseasons to develop his outside shooting. Not only does he space the floor better than Jones, the 28-year-old Akron, Ohio native can also play more positions and guard those positions just as well.
Larry Nance Jr. elevates the Portland Trail Blazers’ play
The Portland Trail Blazers are Damian Lillard’s team with CJ McCollum as his co-star. Powell completes the triumvirate that forms the core of the Blazers’ wing players. Jusuf Nurkic played just 37 games last season due to injuries, and it took a few weeks before he found his rhythm.
Robert Covington’s role as a defensive stopper at the power forward spot is the one that will be carefully observed in training camp. Larry Nance Jr. will either start at Covington’s spot or come off the bench as the primary reliever at the 4-spot.
Larry Nance Jr. adds a different dimension to the Portland Trail Blazers’ offense. Last season, he averaged 9.3 points, 6.7 rebounds. 3.1 assists and 1.7 steals per game. The difference between Covington and Nance is the latter’s ability to hit the open man aside from being the target of passes from Lillard and others.
Though their starting five of Lillard, McCollum, Powell, Covington and Nurkic appears to be the best line-up for new coach Chauncy Billups, Nance could crack the line-up should any of the frontcourt players miss time due to injury or otherwise.
What makes Larry Nance Jr.’s addition that much more important is the fact that when he comes off the bench, the Portland Trail Blazers defense may not have to suffer.
Last season, their defense took a significant dip whenever Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter came in for the starters. With Nance, that won’t be the case anymore. As long as he can stay healthy, the 6' 7" forward could tack on a few more wins for the Blazers.
Are the Portland Trail Blazers title contenders with Larry Nance Jr.?
To put it simply, no. But the Portland Trail Blazers are a much better team than they were prior to the trade for Larry Nance Jr. From an offensive standpoint, Portland have added to their spacing and ball movement while giving them a player who can enter the painted area and score underneath.
Defensively, his presence provides them with versatility and ensures that there won’t be too many easy baskets for opponents. The Portland Trail Blazers are still a player or two short of serious title contention. But Larry Nance Jr.’s acquisition certainly helps them get much closer to reaching the Western Conference Finals, at least.
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