Veteran big man Larry Nance Jr. will soon embark on his second stint playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers after Cleveland signed him to a one-year deal in the offseason. If one recent Instagram story he shared is any indication, he’s excited for the opportunity to don a Cavaliers jersey in the coming season.
Nance uploaded a post to his Instagram story of him rocking a Cavaliers uniform and seems to like how he looks in the team’s threads.
It seems like Nance is in line to be a consistent rotational piece for the Cavaliers in the 2025-26 season and provide backup minutes in the frontcourt, which is certainly an important role to play.
One reason why Nance may be equipped to play a solid role in head coach Kenny Atkinson’s rotation is the improvement he’s shown in his ability to stretch the floor. He shot a whopping 44.7 percent from deep on 3.2 attempts per contest with the Atlanta Hawks last season, even though he only appeared in 24 games. His 3-point shooting chops could help him be a hand-in-glove fit for Cleveland’s modus operandi on that end of the floor.
Nance is hoping he can reach the NBA Finals stage as a member of the Cavaliers once again in 2026 after he did so in his first stint. He was just a spring chicken when the team made a run to the 2018 NBA Finals led by star forward LeBron James. Nance suited up in 20 games in the 2018 NBA Playoffs and was a solid contributor to the team’s deep run.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, he should be feeling optimistic that the Cavaliers can enjoy a similarly successful playoff run in 2026, even if the team is radically different from the 2018 squad.
Cleveland is not far removed from winning 64 games in the 2024-25 season after all, and consistent contenders in recent years such as the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are expected to take steps back in light of injuries to key players. Pacers star guard Tyrese Haliburton and Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum are both recuperating from Achilles injuries.