Reason #3 – he makes a big difference on defense
Nance is an elite defensive player. He is the rare player that can defend the perimeter as well as the rim. He may not be an amazing shot blocker, but he protects the rim well because of his excellent positioning. He has great anticipation and instincts on defense, and because of his big six-foot-seven frame and huge seven-foot-one wingspan combined with elite athleticism, he can disrupt passes in both the passing lanes and in the post.
Nance can defend in transition, at the rim, and out to the perimeter. Versatility is one of his biggest assets because it gives the Blazers the lineup flexibility they haven’t had in recent teams.
Nance’s ability to play both the four and five gives them different looks. Nurkic is a great defender, but his limited health means that he doesn’t play a lot of minutes, and the Blazers fall off big time if he is out injured. Nance will fix the bench defense and give the Blazers a starter that can step in if there is a significant injury.
With Derrick Jones not really needed as a backup three, this trade makes perfect sense for the Blazers. Nance is the backup big this team needs, who is under team control for another year.