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Daily News - July 23, 2018

**NOTE: The news clips and articles listed don't necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of the Cleveland Cavaliers or their Basketball Operations staff, partners, or sponsors.**

Why a contract extension makes sense for both Larry Nance Jr. and the Cavs
Author: Chris Manning
Publication: Fear the Sword

Of the players the Cavaliers acquired during their trade deadline reset, no one was happier than Larry Nance Jr. And why wouldn’t he be? He’s back playing for the franchise his Dad played for, wore father’s retired No. 22 jersey and made the Finals for the first time. Now, he’s part of the team’s future, a core part of their rebuild.

Now, the next step for both sides is to extend the partnership.

For Nance, a deal to keep him Cleveland beyond the 2019-20 season would offer him long term security. And he’d still hit the open market again around his 30th birthday. It also would establish him as core part of the Cavs post LeBron James.

For the Cavs, locking up Nance gives them a piece to build around. Nance Jr., Cedi Osman, Collin Sexton and others isn’t a bad place to restart. It also gives Koby Altman and his staff some financial clarity for 2020 and beyond when their cap sheets will be mostly clear.

The problem is that it’s hard to gauge exactly what Nance is worth. He’s 25 years-old — he’ll turn 26 in the middle of next season — and has a core skill set. He runs the floor well (1.17 points per possession in transition with the Cavs last year), rebounds well on both ends (12.1 ORB% and a 25.5 DRB% in Cleveland last year), finishes at the rim, hustles and can switch onto smaller players well enough. There are parts of his game that indicate he might still evolve into something new. And those two realities likely come with two different price tags. - CLICK HERE to read full story.