NBA Trade Rumors: Larry Nance Jr. Was Incentive For Cavaliers To Take Jordan Clarkson From Lakers

Trevor Lane
3 Min Read

The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the more active teams in the NBA since installing Magic Johnson as president of basketball operations and Rob Pelinka as general manager. Together, they have aggressively remade the roster as they hope to bring the team back to the playoffs.

One of the front office’s biggest moves took place at this season’s trade deadline when the Lakers sent Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

It was a move that reshaped the roster on the fly and set up the Lakers for the future. For the Cavs, they added a pair of young players who could add a bit more firepower around LeBron James.

According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, however, the Cavalierss were more interested in Nance than Clarkson:

“They made the trade for Nance. I mean, other than the George Hill thing, which was a separate deal, they made the other trade for Nance.”

While the Lakers were certainly interested in seeing what Thomas and Frye could provide, and a first-round pick is always a welcome addition, the main selling point of the deal from their perspective was freeing up cap space.

While Nance’s deal pays him just $2.3 million next season, Clarkson is on the books for almost $26 million over the next two years.

By shedding Clarkson’s contract, the Lakers put themselves a step closer to being able to offer a pair of max contracts to free agents this summer, when players such as LeBron James and Paul George will be on the market.

Even if the team is unable to land a superstar in free agency, that much cap room can be used in a variety of ways. From absorbing salary in a trade to making an oversized one-year offer to a player so that the team’s cap will be clear in the summer of 2019.

Clarkson, to be sure, can help a team, but just as the Lakers were motivated to clear his salary, the Cavs likewise needed Nance as an incentive to absorb his deal.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
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