Larry Nance Jr. is still set to be Cavaliers’ best finisher

Larry Nance Jr. has made significant strides for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I really can’t stress enough how nice it’s been to see how Larry Nance Jr. has continually improved for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

After proving to be a real catch-and-shoot three-point shooter in 2018-19, Nance took that a step further during this now-past season, as he hit 35.2 percent of his 2.8 three-point attempts per contest in 2019-20.

Sticking to his script, in Nance’s second full season, or close to it, with the Cavs, he again had a career-best in scoring with 10.1 points per outing. Nance demonstrated a much-improved handle during this now-past campaign, too, and while there wasn’t a ton of volume, he showed encouraging flashes as a post-up player as well.

In post-up scoring situations, Nance placed in the 92nd percentile, per Synergy Sports. And post-All-Star break leading into the NBA season’s novel coronavirus-induced hiatus and what would ultimately be the end of 2019-20 for Cleveland, Nance showed he could actually be a viable 3 man option at times.

Props to J.B. Bickerstaff, who took over the Cavs head coaching reigns in that span, for giving that Nance that opportunity in that sense, and seemingly will more next season, too.

Along with his scoring progression in other ways, Nance being one of Cleveland’s best passers, rebounders and defensive players, though, one thing is still certain with him. Looking at next season, it’s evident that Nance is still set to be the Cavs’ best finisher, and that will still be very valuable.

Let’s not discount Nance’s finishing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, either.

Obviously stating that Nance is set to be the Cavs’ best finisher is not a slight at all, but given his progression in other areas offensively, it still emphasizes how Nance is such a dynamic athlete and lob threat.

We’ve seen the high-flying jams from Jr. throughout his time with the Cavs, and next season, I’d imagine we should see Nance with his fair share of lob looks from the likes of Darius Garland, feasibly Kevin Porter Jr. and others as a cutter/roller.

Nance can seemingly go get over-the-top looks from anywhere, and with his improvement as a catch-and-shoot shooter and with a better handle, to go with him being such a gifted passer, that should only aid his finishing capabilities more.

In that realm, albeit the volume was the lowest of his career at 41.1 percent, but of which was still a robust clip, Nance had a career-best 74.0 percent conversion rate in the restricted area in 2019-20, per NBA.com’s shooting data. With the continued growth he’s had in other areas on-ball/as a catch-and-shoot player, it was no coincidence that that was the case.

Anyhow, while Andre Drummond, assuming he’s back, to go with Kevin Porter Jr., who displayed great finishing ability as a rookie, would seem to be two of Cleveland’s more formidable threats there, and even more so KPJ on drives, Nance is likely Cleveland’s best finisher.

Perhaps Auburn’s Isaac Okoro, a potential Cavs draft target, to go with USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, could be among Cleveland’s top finishers next season as well. Dylan Windler’s finishing package shouldn’t be glossed over, either, provided he can be mostly healthy.

Regardless, with his athleticism, much-improved skill on-ball, and with his shooting aiding him considerably going forward, Nance will only be more proficient near the basket, whether that’s of the assisted or unassisted variety.

While it’s great to know that Nance is only getting better offensively with his expanding skill set, his finishing prowess for the Cleveland Cavaliers shouldn’t be discounted as a bread-and-butter attribute for him.

He’s still set to be the best finisher, with ever-improving touch near the basket on-ball and as a cutter, and Nance being one of Cleveland’s best lob threats, arguably the best, still shows how his athleticism has a big impact game-to-game.

In his instances feasibly at the 3 next season, too, that outstanding finishing will only be more in-play.