Cavs: Larry Nance Jr. reportedly out for 1-2 weeks, could lead to meaningful minutes for Tyler Cook

Cleveland Cavaliers big Larry Nance Jr. could reportedly miss up to two weeks due to knee soreness, and given his absence, that could lead to some meaningful minutes for Tyler Cook. Cook’s two-way deal was recently converted to a standard NBA contract by the team on Friday.

Big man Larry Nance Jr. is a really solid role piece for the Cleveland Cavaliers off the bench, and it’s a big plus that he’s going to locked up for several years, given the two sides reportedly agreeing on a four-year contract extension before the 2018-19 season.

Nance thus far in the 2019-20 season has put up a respectable 8.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.3 minutes per game, according to NBA.com.

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Jr. has done a nice job often coming in to relieve the Cavs’ best player in 4 man Kevin Love, and Nance is a really sound defender from a team perspective that helps young pieces such as Darius Garland, Kevin Porter Jr. and Collin Sexton on that end through his backline communication that is seemingly similar to Tristan Thompson‘s.

Unfortunately for head coach John Beilein and the coaching staff, the Cavs announced Nance will reportedly miss “approximately 1-2 weeks after having continued left knee soreness since missing the Cavaliers game against Atlanta on December 23rd.”

This is tough to hear as a Cavs fan, considering Nance is such a reliable rebounder and putback threat, sets quality screens and allows players such as Porter, Matthew Dellavedova and when he’s in there with them, Garland, Sexton and Cedi Osman, to get to their spots coming off hand-offs.

Jr. is also a capable three-point shooter on occasion when he’s open with an improved shot from there, and again, Nance is going to usually be in the right spots to contest and help defensively, and he gets his share of deflections.

With Nance sidelined for potentially two weeks, though, I’d look for Beilein and company to put in Tyler Cook, who had his two-way contract reportedly converted to a standard NBA contract on Friday. Cook has played just in just six games for the Wine and Gold this season in which he’s averaged just 2.8 minutes per game, but the undrafted rookie could again see some meaningful minutes in this upcoming stretch with Nance sidelined.

Cook’s contract would be set to become guaranteed on January 7, for reference.

Cleveland could also choose to play 27-year-old Alfonzo McKinnie more as a reserve 4, but he hasn’t played much in recent weeks, and has only appeared in 21 games for the Cavs out of 34 in 2019-20. McKinnie, though he’s not a true 4 like Nance, is capable of playing down there in some matchups for Beilein.

Anyhow, McKinnie, whose contract is non-guaranteed currently as well at this point, would become guaranteed on January 7th, too.

Plus, Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor hit on how Cleveland could be freeing up their second two-way deal (Dean Wade has the other) with Cook’s deal conversion, but also noted how Cleveland could choose to let both McKinnie and Cook go before their deals become guaranteed, or keep both and stay at 15 roster spots or keep just one.

It wouldn’t be an ideal scenario, but McKinnie has good defensive instincts, is a veteran presence that will communicate through switches well, and if needed, can hold his own on switchouts against perimeter players.

McKinnie is more of a natural 3, but considering Porter’s emergence there for Beilein and with Dante Exum feasibly playing a considerable reserve minutes-share at the 1/occasional 2, I’d look for McKinnie to get some meaningful minutes with Nance sidelined.

Again, though, I’d look for the Cleveland Cavaliers to see what they have in Cook in the next few games.

Some minutes alongside John Henson of the 12-13 minute or so minute realm could be feasible (Ante Zizic hasn’t played much, for reference). Cook is very athletic, and the 6-foot-8, 255-pounder could give Cleveland and Beilein some energy off the bench with Jr. out.

With the Canton Charge in 2019-20, he’s shown some effective interior scoring, and could give the Cavs a nice rolling option. With Canton, he’s had 12.6 points per outing to go with 6.1 rebounds in 20.7 minutes, according to Basketball Reference’s G League statistics.

Anyhow, some meaningful minutes for the 22-year-old Cook in coming weeks with Nance sidelined could be a sound move, especially with Cleveland rebuilding for Beilein and company.