With an unending swath of injuries across the Cleveland Cavaliers' roster, head coach Kenny Atkinson has been searching for extra help off the bench.
Unfortunately, despite a perfect fit on paper and a connection to the team and city, Larry Nance, Jr.'s second Cavaliers stint has yet to yield positive results. This offseason, Nance signed a one-year minimum contract to rejoin his hometown squad, foregoing expected higher-paying offers to contribute to a championship contender. He was expected to serve as a backup 4/5, but his early run is much worse than he likely hoped.
In 12 games played, the veteran big man is averaging just 3.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 34 percent from the field and 26.9 percent from three-point range.
Nance's unceremonious dip in production is a drastic turn from last season when he became a foundational role player with the Atlanta Hawks until a [hand surgery sidelined him](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43226277/hawks-larry-nance-jr-surgery-right-hand) for the last portion of the season.
While Nance started the season as a steady presence off the bench, his minutes played have steadily decreased to the point of being taken out of Atkinson's rotation entirely. In his last game played, he recorded just four minutes, scored zero points and fouled three times.
Cleveland is facing a tumultuous run with injuries as Darius Garland, Jaylon Tyson, Sam Merrill and Max Strus have all either missed the entire season so far or have been injured on and off. The Cavs' shortened depth chart makes every role player's contributions, or lack thereof, more crucial with every passing game. Nance's sudden disappearance from the lineup leaves the Cavaliers with few options, but an overlooked prospect is stepping up and challenging Nance's role entirely.
Nae'Qwan Tomlin is saving the Cavaliers' bench
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In his second professional season, two-way forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin has emerged as a legitimate asset for the Cavs. While Tomlin lacks much polish to his game, Atkinson has used him for energy and hustle. The 6-foot-10 Tomlin has averaged 6.7 points and 3.1 rebounds through seven games played, including an 18-point, six-rebound showing against the Toronto Raptors.
Last year, Tomlin [started to break out with the G League](https://kingjamesgospel.com/cleveland-cavaliers-prospect-proves-summer-league-tomlin-news) Cleveland Charge, assuming a predominant role and flashing serious NBA potential. His fit is still unknown, as Atkinson has deployed Tomlin in both the frontcourt and on the wing. Still, he has accepted any position and helped the Cavs endure a frustrating string of injuries.
Tomlin's sudden breakout is not only helping the Cavs overcome injuries, he is suddenly pushing Nance completely out of Atkinson's lineup. Despite only being a part-time Cavalier, Tomlin may be fighting for a real rotational spot over his veteran counterpart.
The Cavaliers currently have an open 15th roster spot and could sign Tomlin to a standard contract in a similar deal to what they signed with Craig Porter, Jr. a few seasons ago. With a hefty luxury tax already hanging over Cleveland's head, signing Tomlin to an inexpensive deal still comes with a pricey tax, but his production may be worth the cost.
If Nance's Cavaliers woes continue, the Cavs may view Tomlin as a worthy replacement. Nance is on a cheap enough contract Cleveland likely won't try to excommunicate the son of a former team legend, but he may rarely see the hardwood if Tomlin secures a real contract.
As Atkinson continues to navigate so many sidelined players, finding Tomlin has been a serious facet to keep the team afloat. Despite a 10-6 record thus far, Cleveland sits fourth in the conference and is struggling to maintain any level of consistency. Tomlin's hustle has helped provide some of what is lost without Tyson, but the Cavaliers nonetheless look disjointed and uncomfortable.
The Cleveland Cavaliers need to get healthy, but Nae'Qwan Tomlin is a life raft the Cavs didn't expect to need so early in the year. Nance was expected to be that second-unit veteran presence, but he has faded in the wake of Tomlin's growth. Whether or not Nance can redeem himself this year and reinsert himself to the lineup is a major question mark, but for now, the Cavs can just find solace in the fact two-way contracts exist.