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Darius Garland

Darius Garland named Eastern Conference Player of the Week

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Darius Garland is back, and the NBA is taking notice.

On Monday, the NBA announced that Garland has been named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 4 (Week 3).

Garland was key to the Cavaliers’ 4-0 record this past week, extending the team’s overall record to an NBA-best and franchise-record 11-0 start to the season. Cleveland became just the 12th team in league history to win their first 11 games of a season and the first since the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors.

During the week, Garland averaged a team-high 25 points, 7.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 31.8 minutes while shooting a remarkable .617 from the field, .576 from 3-point range and .875 from the foul line.

The 24-year-old was the only player in the East to average at least 25 points while shooting at least .600 from the field and .500 from three-point range this past week.

Among Eastern Conference leaders, Garland ranked second in three-pointers made (19), second in plus/minus (+49), fourth in 3-point percentage (.576, minimum of 10 attempts), sixth in assists per game (7.3), seventh in field-goal percentage (.617) and tied for seventh in points per game (25).

It was a week bursting with highlights.

Nov. 4, Milwaukee

Garland opened the week with a season-high 39 points on 15-of-22 (.682) shooting from the field, including 7-for-11 (.636) from beyond the arc, and a game-high eight assists in 35 minutes during Cleveland’s 116-114 win over Milwaukee on Nov. 4. That night, he became just the fifth player in Cavaliers history to tally at least 39 points, seven 3-pointers and eight assists in a single game, joining LeBron James (three times), Mo Williams, Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell.

Nov. 6, New Orleans

The following contest, a 131-122 victory at New Orleans on Nov. 6, Garland posted a near double-double with 14 points, including 4-of-6 (.667) shooting from beyond the arc, a game-high nine assists and one block in 30 minutes.

Nov. 8, Golden State

During a 136-117 win versus Golden State on Nov. 8, Garland helped the team record its largest halftime lead in franchise history (+41, 83-42) and finished the night with a game-high 27 points on 9-of-17 (.529) shooting from the field, including 6-of-11 (.545) from the 3-point line, six assists and three steals in 30 minutes, while also passing Irving and Foots Walker (2,115) for fifth place on the Cavaliers’ all-time assists list.

Nov. 9, Brooklyn

In the final game of the week, a 105-100 victory over Brooklyn on Nov. 9, Garland helped the Cavaliers overcome a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter and recorded 20 points and six assists in 32 minutes. With his second 3-pointer in the win over the Nets, he tied Irving (723) for the fourth-most 3-pointers made in franchise history.

In 11 games this season, Garland is averaging 20.5 points, 6.6 assists and 1.18 steals in just 29.5 minutes per contest. He is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 20 points while shooting .500 from the field, .400 from 3-point range and .900 from the foul line.

This is Garland’s second career Player of the Week honor (once in 2021-2022), making him the seventh player in Cavaliers history to win the award multiple times, joining LeBron James (42), Kyrie Irving (four), Donovan Mitchell (four), Andre Miller (two), Terrell Brandon (two) and Mike Mitchell (two).

Garland’s recent honor also marks the 69th time a Cavalier has ever won the weekly award, and the second consecutive week a Cavalier has earned Player of the Week status, following Donovan Mitchell’s win in Week 2.

Tristan Thompson

Cavaliers Bring Back Tristan Thompson

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The Cavaliers have re-signed veteran Tristan Thompson on a one-year deal.

Thompson appeared in 49 games for the Cavs this past season, averaging 3.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per contest.

In his role off the bench, Thompson appeared to be playing with a spring in his step, flashing shades of the vintage Double T who helped the Cavaliers win their first NBA title in 2016.

That came to a screeching halt when the NBA suspended Thompson for 25 games after testing positive for banned substances. Thompson served his suspension from mid-January to March.

Cleveland selected the University of Texas alum with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. At the time, he was the highest drafted Canadian-born player in league history.

Thompson ranks among the franchise’s all-time leaders in offensive rebounds (second, 2,188), total rebounds (third, 5,567), defensive rebounds (fifth, 3,379), blocks (fifth, 461), games played (fifth, 668) and minutes (eighth, 17,922). His 447 consecutive regular-season games played from Feb. 10, 2012, to April 4, 2017, remains the longest streak in Cavaliers history.

Over the course of his 13-year career, Thompson has played in 779 regular-season games (478 starts) for Cleveland, Boston, Sacramento, Indiana and Chicago, with averages of 8.7 points on .521 shooting from the field and 8.1 rebounds in 25.8 minutes per contest.

Thompson, who started all 21 postseason games during the Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA title run, has played in 104 playoff games (70 starts) over his career, averaging 6.5 points on .557 shooting from the field and 7.2 rebounds in 25.2 minutes.

Thompson also is the Cavaliers’ all-time postseason leader in offensive rebounds (297) and ranks second in franchise playoff history in total rebounds (686), third in defensive rebounds (389), second in games played (88), fourth in blocked shots (68), ninth in points scored (613) and ninth in field goals made (231).

Kenny Atkinson

Cavs finalize Kenny Atkinson’s coaching staff for 2024-2025 season

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With the ouster of J.B. Bickerstaff, the Cavaliers’ coaching staff will have a new look this season, although there are a few familiar faces in the mix.

Earlier this month, Atkinson and Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced that the Cavs have finalized their coaching staff for the 2024-2025 season.

Johnnie Bryant replaces Greg Buckner as associate head coach. Bryant, who played college basketball at the University of Utah, spent the last four seasons with the New York Knicks as associate head coach.

Atkinson’s assistant coaches are:

  • Jordan Ott
  • Mike Gerrity
  • DeMarre Carroll
  • Trevor Hendry
  • Omar Cook
  • Bryan Tibaldi
  • Nate Reinking

To support the coaching staff, the Cavaliers have hired Alex Sarama as director of player development and Patrick Licursi as advance scout.

Other support personnel are:

  • DJ Ham – Player development/video assistant
  • Andrew Olson – Shooting coach
  • Austin Peterson as manager of coaching analytics
  • Aaron Robinson – Video assistant
  • Luke Webb – Video assistant
  • Adrian Culea – Special assistant to the head coach

Coaches’ Bios

Johnnie Bryant

Johnnie Bryant brings over a decade of NBA experience to Atkinson’s staff, including the previous four seasons as associate head coach of the New York Knicks.

Before joining New York, Bryant spent eight seasons with the Utah Jazz, serving as an assistant coach for six seasons (2014-2020) and two seasons as a player development assistant (2012-2014). Additionally, he ran the Bryant Sports Academy for three years (2009-2012), which helped develop the skills of NBA players along with numerous European players.

Bryant played left the University of Utah as the 20th all-time leading scorer (1,301 points) and the leader in 3-point field goal percentage (.440) while also earning dual bachelor’s degrees in human development and family studies and sports management. Following his college career, the Oakland, California, native went on to play professionally overseas in Germany.

Jordan Ott

Ott was most recently an assistant coach for the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (2022-2024).

Prior to his tenure with the Lakers, Ott served as an assistant coach for the Brooklyn Nets for six seasons (2016-2022), where he worked under Atkinson on the sidelines for his first four years in Brooklyn. Before working as an NBA assistant coach, Ott was the video coordinator for the Atlanta Hawks from 2013 to 2016. He served in the same capacity with the Michigan State men’s basketball program for five seasons (2008-2013) under Hall of Fame head coach Tom Izzo.

Ott received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State in 2006 and earned his master’s degree from Michigan State in 2008. The McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, native also served as an assistant coach with the Dominican Republic national team in the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship in Mexico City.

Mike Gerrity

Gerrity joins Atkinson’s staff after serving the previous two seasons (2022-2024) as head coach of the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ exclusively owned and operated NBA G League team.

In his first season at the helm, he led the Charge to a 30-20 record, tying for the second-most regular season wins in team history, as well as securing the franchise’s first playoff win since the 2015-2016 season. Gerrity also served as an assistant coach for the Cavaliers in 2021-2022 and spent three seasons as the team’s Director of Player Development/Assistant Coach from 2018 to 2021.

His additional roles with the organization include two seasons as director of player development for the Charge and player development assistant with the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018, and an assistant video coordinator in 2013.

Before his coaching career, Gerrity played two seasons in the NBA G League for the Dakota Wizards, Erie BayHawks, and Maine Red Claws. He starred at the University of Southern California in 2009-2010 after playing collegiate basketball at Pepperdine and UNC Charlotte.

DeMarre Carroll

Carroll comes to Cleveland after spending the previous two seasons as an assistant coach with the Lakers (2023-24) and Milwaukee Bucks (2022-23).

Prior to joining the coaching ranks, Carroll played in the NBA for 11 seasons, including two seasons under Atkinson during their time with the Brooklyn Nets. Over his NBA playing career, Carroll appeared in a combined 578 games (339 starts) for Houston, San Antonio, Brooklyn, Toronto, Atlanta, Utah, Denver and Memphis with averages of 8.9 points and 4.2 rebounds in 23.7 minutes.

He made at least 100 three-pointers in four of his NBA seasons and was a starter on Atlanta’s 60-win team in 2014-2015.

Drafted by the Grizzlies as the 27th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, Carroll also appeared in 64 career playoff games (52 starts), posting averages of 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds in 27.4 minutes. He was an All-Big 12 First Team selection during his collegiate years at the University of Missouri.

Trevor Hendry

Hendry arrives in Cleveland after spending the previous two seasons (2022-2024) as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets and the four seasons prior to that (2018-2022) as Brooklyn’s head video coordinator.

Hendry originally joined the Nets organization in 2014, serving in a variety of basketball operations roles prior to entering the video room. He then spent one season (2016-2017) as video and player development assistant for the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League and one season in the same role for the Brooklyn Nets (2017-2018) before becoming head video coordinator for Brooklyn where he worked under Atkinson for parts of four seasons. Prior to joining the Nets organization, the Waterford, Connecticut, native earned both a Bachelor of Arts in business and a Master of Business Administration from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Omar Cook

Cook held the role as assistant coach/player development with the Cavaliers last season.

He originally joined the organization in 2022-2023 as an assistant coach with the Charge after a successful 22-year professional basketball career that included stints in the NBA and NBA G League, as well as playing professionally in over half a dozen countries internationally. Cook has led five different leagues in assists in a season and has been part of two FIBA Champions League winning teams (2020, 2021).

The Brooklyn, New York, native was a McDonalds All-American and First-Team Parade All-American at Christ the King High School and starred at St. John’s University before being drafted by the Orlando Magic as the 31st overall pick in 2001.

Bryan Tibaldi

Tibaldi was most recently the player development/video assistant (2021-2024) for the Cavaliers after joining the organization as an assistant coach with the Charge during the 2019-20 campaign.

Prior to that, he spent two seasons as an assistant at Cleveland State University, two seasons as the director of basketball operations at DePaul (2015-2017), four years as a video coordinator and director of operations at Missouri (2011-2015) and two seasons as assistant video coordinator basketball operations assistant with the Chicago Bulls (2009-2011). A 2007 graduate of Michigan State, Tibaldi was a two-year letter winner as a walk-on for the Spartans.

Following his playing days, Tibaldi was a graduate assistant under Tom Izzo from 2007-2009, earning his master’s in Kinesiology in 2009.

Nate Reinking

Reinking enters his second season as assistant coach with the Cavaliers.

Previously, he was assistant coach/G-League Liaison from 2021-2023 and head coach for the Charge from 2016-2021 when he held a combined 107-101 record over that span.

Reinking has more than 20 years of collegiate, professional and international experience as both a player and coach.

He was named the head coach of the Great Britain National Team in the summer of 2019, leading the team on a 4-0 run, and continuing a record-setting seven-game winning streak, to secure a spot in a EuroBasket 2021 qualifying group. Additionally, he coached the team in the 2022 FIBA EuroBasket Games.

Before beginning his coaching career, Reinking played for Great Britain from 2005-2012, representing the nation in international tournaments such as the Olympics and European Championships. The Galion, Ohio, native graduated from Kent State University in 1996 after a four-year playing career with the Golden Flashes and was inducted into the school’s Varsity “K” Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019.

Luke Travers

Cavs sign Aussie Luke Travers to 2-way contract

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The Cavaliers have signed Australian forward Luke Travers to a two-way contract, the team announced on Aug. 28.

The Cavs selected the 6-foot-7 forward with the 56th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft.

In 36 games for the National Basketball League’s Melbourne United during the 2023-2024 season, Travers averaged 12.4 points on .517% shooting from the field. Travers also averaged 7.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.33 blocks and 1.17 steals in 27 minutes of action.

Travers has appeared in 139 games (76 starts) over the last five seasons with the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United in the National Basketball League (NBL), holding career averages of 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.87 steals in 20.7 minutes. He was a member of the Perth Wildcats when they won the NBL Cup in 2021 and the NBL championship in 2020.

Additionally, he was a member of the Cavaliers Summer League team for the past three years, including the 2023 NBA Summer League Championship team, where he averaged 7.5 points on .487 shooting from the field, 6.3 rebounds, 2 assists, 0.8 steals and 2.17 blocks in 23.2 minutes.

Former Melbourne United teammate Jack White recently told reporters that Travers is getting a shot in the NBA “for a reason.”

“Luke’s such a unique player,” White told reporters during an Aug. 29 press conference. “He does so many things well. So I think if he just goes out there and plays hard and brings what he does well to the table, I don’t think he’ll have any issues shining in whatever role that comes his way.”

Travers isn’t the first Australian to play for the Cavaliers. Fan favorite Matthew Dellavedova, a native of Maryborough, Australia, spent six seasons with the Cavs, last playing for Cleveland during the 2020-2021 campaign.

Marcus Morris

Cavs sign veteran Marcus Morris to 10-day contract

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The Cleveland Cavaliers added some depth and experience with the signing of forward Marcus Morris.

The 13-year veteran appeared in 37 games this season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Morris was traded to San Antonio as part of a three-team deal on Feb. 8, and the Spurs bought out his contract on Feb. 29.

After signing with the Cavs, the 6-8 forward will be eligible for postseason play.

In his career, Morris has played in 820 games (509 starts) with Houston, Phoenix, Detroit, Boston, New York, L.A. Clippers and Philadelphia, averaging 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game.

But it’s his playoff experience that makes this such a strong move for the Cavaliers. In 67 career playoff games (45 starts), Morris has averaged 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in 30.1 minutes while shooting nearly 41% from 3-point range.

Prior to Monday night’s game in Indianapolis, coach J.B. Bickerstaff rattled off the list of attributes that make Morris a great fit for a young Cavaliers team.

“Just the level of professionalism,” Bickerstaff said. “[Morris is] a guy who’s been through all the trials and tribulations of the NBA; a ton of experience. There’s a toughness to him, a grit to him. [There’s a] reputation around this league of what his peers think about him and how they respect him. And obviously his ability to make shots and compete on the floor.”

With 14 games left in the season, the Cavaliers are looking ahead to the playoffs. The battle-tested Morris is a low-risk waiver-wire pickup for a team that’s determined to advance further than last year.

Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell’s knee still isn’t right

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Like many NBA teams, the Cavaliers have been battling injuries throughout the season.

Jarrett Allen missed the first five games of the season after hurting his left ankle in training camp. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland each missed roughly six weeks starting in mid-December. Max Strus has missed the last seven games with a right-knee strain.

Then there’s MVP candidate Donovan Mitchell. The Cavs welcomed Mitchell back to the fold on March 13 after a seven-game absence, and trounced the New Orleans Pelicans 116-95 – snapping the Pelicans’ four-game winning streak.

Mitchell tallied 14 points in New Orleans. While that’s roughly half of Mitchell’s season scoring average, Darius Garland told reporters after the game that Mitchell’s mere presence on the court is a major boost for the Cavs, because he attracts so much attention from the opposing defense.

Unfortunately, the Cavaliers were unable to carry that momentum into Houston Saturday night, where they lost to the Rockets 117-103.

Mitchell drained three 3-pointers but finished with only 13 points in 25 minutes of action.

After the game, a frustrated Mitchell dropped a bit of a bombshell on reporters.

“I’ll give you some news: I’m probably not playing the next game, to be completely honest with you,” Mitchell said. “I just gotta take some rest and get it right. I thought I was ready. I’m not.”

On March 4, Mitchell received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection at the Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Center to treat a bone bruise in his left knee. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has attributed the injury to wear and tear over the course of the season.

After the loss in Houston, Mitchell was brutally honest about how the bruised knee has stifled his game.

“No disrespect to some guys – I’m not really blowing by people right now, and that’s disappointing to me and it’s affecting me,” Mitchell said. “ … It sucks. I want to be out there, but it’s clear as day, even to myself. I can’t fool myself. So I have to sit there, get it right and be ready when that time comes.”

If Mitchell can’t play in Monday night’s Central Division matchup in Indiana, it will be a tough blow for a Cavaliers team that’s been struggling since the All-Star break. However, the Cavs have managed to overcome plenty of adversity throughout the season. Despite the rash of injuries, they’re still within striking distance of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Cavaliers are 33-16 with Mitchell in the lineup this season.

Donovan Mitchell

Knee injury to sideline Donovan Mitchell for at least 3 more games

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Donovan Mitchell will miss the next three games due to a knee injury.

On March 4, Mitchell received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection at the Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Center to treat a bone bruise in his left knee, according to the Cavs.

Mitchell apparently injured the knee during the Cavaliers’ Jan. 28 double-overtime loss in Chicago. He missed the following two games against Dallas and Detroit.

The team said it will re-evaluate Mitchell’s status over the weekend.

Mitchell, a five-time All-Star, is the heartbeat of this team. With Mitchell leading the way, the Cavs went 18-3 from Jan. 1 up to the All-Star break. Mitchell was the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in January.

Mitchell is averaging 28 points per game, and career highs in rebounds (5.4), assists (6.2) and steals (1.8).

The upcoming schedule won’t provide much mercy.

On March 5, the Cavs host the Boston Celtics, who hold the best record in the NBA. Then they fly to Atlanta for the second night of the back-to-back. Two nights later, they’re back at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to host the Minnesota Timberwolves, the top team in the Western Conference.

Mitchell isn’t the only banged-up Cavalier right now.

Caris LeVert is listed as questionable for the March 5 matchup with the Celtics, after missing Sunday night’s game against the Knicks due to a right-elbow sprain. Max Strus is out with a right-knee strain.

Meanwhile, Isaac Okoro is questionable for the Celtics matchup due to a left-elbow sprain.

With Mitchell out, the Cavs will have to lean on Darius Garland, who is averaging 18.4 points and 6.1 assists per game this season. Craig Porter Jr. also should see increased playing time. We’ll see what else J.B. Bickerstaff has up his sleeve as the week progresses.

Max Strus

With long-distance buzzer-beater, Cavs-Mavs becomes Max Strus appreciation night

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When the basketball “experts” debate whether the Cavaliers can make a deep postseason run, the conventional thinking has been that the Cavs will only go as far as the “Core Four” will take them.

Assuming that the future rests squarely on the shoulders of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley isn’t a hot take. It’s a quick, superficial take that discounts the contributions of role players such as Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, Dean Wade and Sam Merrill – not to mention the fifth starter, Max Strus.

Strus showed just how valuable he is Tuesday night against Dallas when he singlehandedly rescued the Cavs in a game that was slipping away.

The Mavericks took a 108-98 lead with 4:38 left when Luka Doncic Kyrie Irving Maxi Klieber connected on a 3-pointer.

Soon after that, Strus went to work.

In the final 3:42, Strus drained five, count ‘em five, 3-pointers to will the Cavs to an improbable 121-119 home victory. He finished with 21 points (all 3-pointers), four rebounds and four assists.

The final half-minute of the game was pure madness.

With 23.8 seconds to go – and the Cavs clinging to a 118-117 lead – J.B. Bickerstaff called timeout after Irving hit a floating jump shot. Cavs ball.

Then, as the Cavaliers tried to play keep-away, Mavs forward Josh Green wrestled Garland to the floor. Inexplicably, there was no call, and the Cavs were forced to burn their final timeout with 9.2 seconds left.

“Beyond me how that’s missed at that point in the game,” Bickerstaff told reporters afterward.

In the absolutely nerve-racking sequence that followed, Mobley deflected Klieber’s inbounds pass but Doncic scooped up the ball, and Mobley and Isaac Okoro lunged for a potential steal. This freed up Doncic to drive toward the basket and dish to P.J. Washington, who seemingly iced the win for Dallas with a layup.

With 2.6 seconds left, Strus inbounded to Mobley, who immediately passed it back to Strus. Then, the Miracle of Rocket Mortage FieldHouse happened.

With exactly one second left on the clock, Strus – who hadn’t even advanced past half-court – launched a prayer of a shot that was nothing but net, giving the Cavs a 121-119 win.

Reportedly, the 59-footer was the second-longest game-winning shot of the 3-point era, dating back to the 1979-1980 season.

‘Absolutely Ridiculous’

After the game, Strus got doused with bottled water – and some well-deserved accolades.

“He was the guy, and that’s one of the things that we’re fortunate with this group is on any given night, we’ve got a guy who can step up and make huge plays,” Bickerstaff told reporters. “And what he did tonight was absolutely ridiculous.”

While Strus is known as a 3-point shooter, Bickerstaff emphasized that there are many other facets to Strus’s game that have been additive to the team.

“It’s as simple sometimes as chasing down a loose ball, or making an extra rotation,” Bickerstaff said. “Max never quits. We were down, and he had the same mentality. He wasn’t going to quit, and just kept making play after play after play on both ends.”

And then there are the intangibles that Strus brings to the table.

“The way that he plays the game with a determination, a never-give-in mentality and attitude, that inspires his teammates every single day,” Bickerstaff said. “When he chases a loose ball, makes another rotation, runs into an action, doesn’t get it, runs back into the action, doesn’t get it, he just is relentless, and that elevates his teammates.”

 

Sharife Cooper

Cavs sign G League standout Sharife Cooper to 10-day contract

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Sharife Cooper to a 10-day contract, the team announced.

The 6-1 guard is averaging 18.5 points, 7.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.47 steals in 34 minutes per game for the Cleveland Charge, which is the Cavs’ NBA G League affiliate.

Cooper has appeared in 19 games – all starts – for the Charge this season.

Cooper also was a member of the Cavaliers 2023 Summer League Championship team, appearing in four games (all starts). He averaged 13.5 points, 3.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 21.5 minutes.

During the 2022-2023 season with the Charge, Cooper was named All-NBA G League Second Team and a 2023 NBA G League Next Up Game selection as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City. He finished the season averaging 21.3 points, 6.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 0.84 steals in 32.4 minutes over 25 games (all starts).

The Atlanta Hawks selected Cooper as the 48th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. Cooper played in 13 games as a rookie with the Hawks during the 2021-2022 campaign.

During his lone collegiate season at Auburn (2020-2021), Cooper appeared in 12 games – all starts – with averages of 20.1 points, 8.1 assists, 4.3 rebounds and one steal in 33.3 minutes and was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Pete-Nance

Cavs sign forward Pete Nance to 2-way contract

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed 6-11 forward Pete Nance to a two-way contract, the team announced.

The Akron, Ohio, native – the third Nance to don a Cavaliers jersey – played in two games for the Cavs this season after signing a 10-day contract with the team on Jan. 18.

Nance also appeared in 29 games (24 starts) this season for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League, averaging 13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.34 blocks in 31.5 minutes.

On Jan. 10, Nance posted the first Charge triple-double in more than two years at Indiana, finishing with 27 points, a career-high 12 assists and 10 rebounds in 40 minutes.

Nance went undrafted after one season at the University of North Carolina (2022-2023) and four seasons at Northwestern University (2018-2022), averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.3 minutes in 137 games (104 starts) during his collegiate career.

Last season at UNC, Nance started all 30 games and averaged 10 points, six rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.13 blocks in 30 minutes, while leading the team in blocks (34), finishing second in free-throw percentage (.816) and ranking third in 3-pointers made (32).

Nance also was a member of the recent Cavaliers 2023 Summer League Championship team, appearing in all six games. Nance averaged 7.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20.4 minutes.

If Nance is able to earn any playing time, he would add some depth to a frontcourt that’s without Tristan Thompson until mid-March.

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