Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
With him seemingly a player that could be moved, with him mentioned in trade rumors throughout the offseason, it was not that surprising that the Cleveland Cavaliers traded Larry Nance Jr. on Friday.
Nance was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers, who dealt Derrick Jones Jr. and a lottery-protected first-round pick to the Chicago Bulls. That was part of a three-team sign-and-trade where Cleveland inked restricted free agent Lauri Markkanen to a four-year, $67 million deal, and Nance was shipped out in the process, and Cleveland sent Chicago a protected second-round pick (via the Denver Nuggets).