That goes double for Nance, all flare screens, extra passes and box-outs -- helpful little things that don't work as well when you do them for young guys learning the NBA. An executive once told me Nance is one of the only players he has ever seen who is thinking of only one thing every second on the court: What can I do, in this very moment, to help my team win? Nothing else clutters his internal monologue -- no ruminating about points, how long it has been since he shot the ball (he's a little jumper-phobic), or where the party is after the game.
Nance has logged a lot of time as an undersized center; slot shooters around him, and he can screen for LeBron, roll to the rim and rise high for lobs. He and
Kevin Love will make for an interesting, high-IQ frontcourt partnership. He can switch across all five positions on defense, though he is not as good as you'd think at staying in front of quick guards.
