Sign #3 – the trade for Larry Nanc Jr
Larry Nance Jr may be one of the best trades the Blazers have made for a long time. Though some fans questioned the use of a first-round pick to get him, Nance is a piece who is versatile, has great size, and can defend.
Derrick Jones Jr likely wasn’t going to play this season as the small forward position is stacked, so moving his negative value contract for a multi-year deal and a positive in Nance was an excellent piece of business.
Nance is a starting quality player on a good team, but with Robert Covington at the four and Nurkic at the five, he is a bench player this season.
Does this trade signal that maybe there is a move coming in the backcourt?
Covington is a nice four on defense because of his length and help abilities in blocking shots, but he doesn’t have a post-game or even a strong inside presence in terms of finishing at the rim.
Could Nance be brought in to be a full-time backup at the four and five in a potential trade of McCollum?
Nance’s floor spacing, passing, and defense make him a perfect backup four and five and maybe even a starter if there was a move that sent a guy like Covington or Nurkic out with McCollum.
All of the above moves point to a potential trade, the Blazers need to improve and add another star and maybe now they have the supporting cast and pieces to make it happen.