Larry Nance Jr. has said goodbye to Los Angeles and the Lakers, and the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers now gets to wear wine and gold. But the story of what number he could have worn for the franchise is nearly as interesting as the long trade deadline saga that ended up shipping Isaiah Thomas to Los Angeles.
Nance’s father, Larry Nance Sr., was a legend in Cleveland who had his number retired after eight seasons with the Cavaliers. Nance Jr. wore No. 7 in Los Angeles, but that’s also a retired number in Cleveland.
Eventually, he decided to wear 24 in Cleveland, but as it turns out his father’s number, 22, was made available to the new Cavalier. Larry Nance Sr. appeared on ESPN’s Golic and Wingo and was asked what happened when his son was traded to the franchise last week. Did the team offer Nance Jr. his father’s number?
As it turns out, Nance Sr. himself got a jump on everyone, called the Cavaliers and told them to offer up his number despite it hanging from the rafters.
“It really wasn’t a conversation because as soon as he called me and let me know that he got traded here, I called the Cavs to say ‘He can have the number. Please give him the number,’” Nance Sr. said.
The elder Nance said he thinks his son was trying to say “‘My dad deserves to keep that up there’” in picking a different number to wear in Cleveland, but pointed out he will have all summer to try changing his mind and changing his number to 22.
“I got this summer. I’m going to just let him wear 24 and hopefully this summer I’m going to work on him all summer. Because I would be nothing (but) proud if he had that number on his back because he’s worn it his whole career. He had to wear seven in LA but I would be proud if he wore it.”
It sounds like there’s a lot of incentive to get Nance Jr. in a No. 22 Cavaliers uniform, so I would maybe hold off on the jersey purchase just yet if you’re invested in Cavs players dunking. Still, it’s cool to know that Nance Sr. was so ready to give up his number’s honor for his son.
