Cavs’ Larry Nance Jr. reportedly being Marquese Chriss’ mentor is working

Larry Nance Jr. is just 26, and is still coming into his own as a professional basketball player. Though Nance is focused on his career, he seems to be adding another role to his resume in becoming a mentor to teammate Marquese Chriss.

Marquese Chriss is only in his third NBA season but has already built up quite the (not-so-friendly) reputation. Chriss is already playing for his third franchise (now the Cleveland Cavaliers) after wearing out his welcome with the Phoenix Suns and not being able to crack the rotation with the Houston Rockets in his time with them this year.

Several members of the Cavaliers roster were well aware of the potential baggage that came with Chriss, but that did not stop Larry Nance Jr. from speaking out and sticking up for his new teammate.

Earlier this month after a tough loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Nance told The Athletic’s Joe Vardon (subscription required) that Chriss “got a bad reputation, and I think it’s unfair,”and then said that Chriss, (who is 21) was on a Phoenix team where “they were all so young.”

Right after, he emphasized how the Suns “didn’t have anyone to show them [their young players, such as Chriss then] how to be pros.”

Nance even compared himself to Chriss, saying, “he’s a little hotheaded, like me,”to Vardon, who noted that Nance mentioned Chriss was “a great fit for the locker room.”

While Chriss has baggage, he also has talent, which has been on display ever since he stepped on the floor for the Cavaliers.

Though Chriss has only averaged 6.0 points in the past three games (per NBA.com), there was his performance against the Nets right before the All-Star break that showed his potential.

The third-year power forward scored 23 points (including three-for-six from three-point range, per ESPN), grabbed seven rebounds and threw down one thunderous dunk over Brooklyn shot blocker Jarrett Allen.

In seven games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chriss is averaging 10.7 points and 5.0 rebounds, while shooting 44.4 percent from beyond the arc, per Basketball Reference.

That’s quite an impressive couple of weeks from the young forward.

So we can all tell there is untapped potential in Chriss. Now he just needs to learn how to reign in his emotions, keep his cool and focus on bettering his game.

In steps Nance.

Though Nance is only in his fourth season, he has seen quite a bit in his time between the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland. On a team looking for leaders in the locker room, Nance’s doing his part to make the team better and passing on his knowledge of the game to others.

Basketball Insiders’ Spencer Davies reported that Nance has officially taken Chriss under his wing.

This would make sense because they both play the same position and are similar as lob-catching threats that play above the rim, and they appear to be building chemistry on the floor in minutes shared together, too.

Nance is in the midst of his best season as a professional, averaging 9.1 points on 57.3 percent true shooting and 8.2 rebounds in 26.2 minutes of action per game, according to NBA.com.

But Nance seems to be realizing that his impact on this team can extend beyond just his stat line.

When you hear Nance speak, you can tell he is mature beyond his years. He was raised right by his parents and worked hard to get where he is today.

Nance may even realize that Chriss has more potential than him, and wants to take him under his wing to see that Chriss can maximize his talent.

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Both Chriss and Nance (35.0 percent from three this year) are working on their long-range shooting, which forces defenses to spread out against them and not pack the lane.

Combine that with the fact that they are both active around the rim, and they could make a great one-two punch in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ frontcourt.

A young frontcourt duo of Nance and Chriss could be a viable option for the Wine & Gold moving forward.

Both are young and not even in the midst of their prime, and they fit the mold of what today’s NBA is all about, long and athletic forwards who can do damage from inside and out.

While the Cavaliers roster is in a state of flux, we can see potential key pieces beginning to develop with the likes of Collin Sexton at lead guard, Cedi Osman (when he’s playing the 3) and Nance and potentially Chriss in the frontcourt.

The relationship of Chriss and Nance extends beyond the floor as they hang out off the floor and play video games with each other. Overall, Chriss is appreciative of Nance going out of his way to make him feel welcome on the team.

This team is far from a finished product, but Nance mentoring Chriss is a positive sign for the Cavaliers organization, as Chriss’ court feel seems to be improving. You need leaders on your team to recognize when to step up and speak out and give advice to those who need it.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Nance a little over a year ago at the 2018 NBA trade deadline, he was supposed to be a supporting player on a title contender.

Now Nance is showing the organization his talents extend beyond the floor and that his leadership capabilities are good, if not better than any physical basketball skill that he possesses.