(Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)

Transcript by: Alyssa Dombrowski

Coordinator Basketball Communications

Cavaliers Operating Company, LLC.

BJ EVANS:

As we did last week if you have a question, post it on the chat side, so I can call on each person in order. I will start with Tony.

TONY ZARELLA:

Tony Go right ahead, guys. Hey BJ good to see you. Thanks for coming again and Larry Thank you very much. As this plays out. If and when you get back to work, and you've given a lot of thought to actually playing games without fans in the stands and what do you think that would be like.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Yeah, um, you got to be bizarre. I mean, in my opinion, it would take away, we kind of take away home court advantage. You know cuz at least for me playing, playing at home means, you know, when when we go on a run having the fans behind us or when the other team goes on a run. We have the fans that push us forward. So I think, you know, I think that kind of ruins the whole home court advantage thing like it's a, the whole momentum the adrenaline of the fans being in the building cheering you on is something that can't be understated In my opinion.

TOM WITHERS:

Thank you BJ appreciate it Larry Good to see you. Thanks for doing this. Hey after Commissioner silver spoke the other day that you come away, more or less hopeful that we would be able to resume a season at some point.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Um, I don't know I'm really trying to stay optimistic because I want to come back. I would come back tomorrow if it would allow but, you know, I think. I think it, you know I would be I think I'd be lying if I, if I saw like we came away from that phone call with any extra knowledge that that everybody else knows so I don't know I feel confident that they're gonna figure something out. But, I mean, I'd be lying if I said I knew anything about anything that you did.

TOM WITHERS:

As far as like a centralized location to do this does that. I mean obviously there's some some built in things you'd have to worry about there how concerning is that the Larry that you know without the testing that we really don't have yet how much you would put yourself at risk in a situation like that.

LARRY NANCE JR:

Um, yeah i mean it's it's definitely something that would have to be addressed thoroughly before I consider you know subjecting myself to that many people, whether it would be testing, you know, thorough testing or an absolute lockdown on the site. I don't know it would have to be, you know, I know, for me, I'd have to, I'd have to feel very comfortable but at the same time we've also got guys like take Delly for instance who just had a kid who would have his his newborn child with him like if I were him, I wouldn't I would know I'm not subjecting myself to that because then I can bring home to my family so while I want to get back tomorrow. I also respect the opinion of guys that you know have bigger things to worry about so I don't know the centralized location set. You know, you could tell me Hey look, if it saves you but you got to play at 4am like I think I said before, play at 4am with you with one hand behind your back and your eyes closed, I just want to play at any point so as long as it's safe I'll be there in a row.

KENNY RODA:

Chris Fedor and I were talking about this on the radio the other day the possibility of Orlando or Las Vegas or both places right and uh you guys playing in a bubble almost like bubble ball you guys would be sequestered there. Is that better than not playing at all even though it has its fallbacks.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Yeah, I think, of course, obviously the key word being if it's totally safe if it's totally locked down that it has to be safe that's the key word of course but yeah I mean, I don't care, like I said I'll play. I'll play.

I'll play 82 games and 82 days at this point i you know I think I think all guys are just itching, you know guys are itching to come back, obviously the key word being safe but yeah I would, if that was the idea proposed and it was safe, also yes I'll be the first one to vote yes,

KENNY RODA:

The players have you guys been told that let's say you have a vote and the vote is okay we go back and play but there are still some players that are concerned about it. Do you know if this will be voluntary even if the Players Association votes yes to play again.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

No, I don't know that. At this point, there hasn't even been anything proposed. There had there hasn't been anything proposed I mean, the, you know, restaurants can't even backhoe open back up so you know I don't I think we're, you know, I think we're all this has said this point just kind of speculation and all that so like I I don't like I said I don't know anything more than you do at this point there's been nothing proposed to us there hasn't been a vote proposed to us. I would hope there would be come down the line, but we're just, I don't think we're at that point yet. Thanks.

CHRIS FEDOR:

Larry your setup looks a lot like mine. I like the way it looks there in the background. Yeah, all that's a little bit different than mine. I can't really do anything I just have a big wall behind me. Um, you mentioned the motivation to come back and play, given where you guys are in the standings and what your record is, what is it that makes you want to come back and play instead of okay season's over we're just going to go into the offseason.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

The fact that I love basketball. You know I ideally obviously Ideally, we'd be playing and we'd be, you know, a playoff team right now but you know that still doesn't take away the fact that, you know, I want to play the game. You know, I think first comes love for the game second is a look there's, I have. I don't know I don't think anybody really knows how it's gonna affect the league if we have to scratch your season. In terms of free agency money in terms of TV money in terms of next year's season starting I think there's a whole lot of. There's a whole lot that comes into play, but for me the number one reason I want to get back is just loving the game. This is the longest I haven't. I haven't played a game of basketball in my entire life.

CHRIS FEDOR:

And for you to work out on on Friday with the other guys in the group. What was it that made you feel comfortable and safe in the environment and the guidelines that they propose to you that you were willing to go there.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

I think it was the masks. I don't know for me that just provides a provides a sense of security. You know that that hey, you know you get your own two basketballs that's it. You have your one coach that coaches wearing masks and gloves that are unique to you and like to you and them so like, you know, and even in the weight room, you pick up a weight. And if I was using 45s, nobody else that day was allowed to use the 45s until they were cleaned and sterilized so like it for me it was just very. It was so well regimented that I feel pretty safe going.

GREG SCHWARTZ:

Hey, Larry. Looking ahead to next year. What do you think about a season, that would potentially start around Christmas, and then go all throughout the summer, maybe ending in like August or September. I know other NBA players have kind of spoken out how they, they wouldn't like that. Revenue wise that might be good for the league because you're not crossing paths with football as much but you know what, what would you think of a season, kind of taken on that new schedule.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Um, for me, I personally I don't think I'd like it. You know this is barring any, you know I don't know the financial side of things so taking that out of it just strictly as like a schedule perspective. You know I kind of like my summers to be the summertime. I like, I like having that I like having that to be, you know, I don't know to be outside and and you know when you know us to be in the gym be outside so for me I really, I think, I think I don't I'm not a huge fan of that idea, but of course I'm just one of 450. And I just really want to play so if it came down to like hey you either have to wait a full year to start your season again or, or you got to play December on the back in December.

KELSEY RUSSO:

Hi, Larry. Um, so last week when we talked to JB he was talking about how you guys have been doing like virtual meetings over zoom and like the virtual workout so I was just wondering from like the player's perspective how those went for you, and then also like with the, with the facility being open Are you still are you guys still meeting that way and like having those virtual workouts where they have they kind of flip to, if you decide to go to the facility that's just kind of what you do

LARRY NANCE JR.:

They’re still doing, they're still doing the virtual workouts and virtual meetings and stuff like that, for the guys that can't be in town you know they're, you know, you got to respect you know Tristan, Tristan went back home Andre is somewhere, you know, I think, calling back to Atlanta so there are guys that are that are back home and so they can. You don't want to slight them by taking away the virtual workouts because some guys are at the facility so we're continuing that it's been it's been different you know at first it was hard to, like, you know, I'm so used to being in person having having our strength coach, having our strength coach or your trainers in front of me to tell me what to do and and guide us along that but you know it's been a different challenge you know it's it's a lot of the time you know I'm able to look at somebody else and use that as motivation or use that like use them to push me to go harder. Meanwhile, like during this you've got to work out against yourself almost and so it's definitely been a different perspective and a different change out but i think i think we can get more accustomed to it and start to start to appreciate it more.

JOE GABRIELE:

Hey guys. Hey, Larry. Thanks again for doing this I really appreciate it. How long would you guys need physically to get ready. If they say hypothetically Monday, everything's coming back. How long actually would you guys need to physically get yourself back in shape, ready to play.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

I mean I'm sure you've heard it talks about over and over again there's no such, there's no such shape as game shape, you can run all you want. Jump Rope you can do whatever you want but there's no such shape escape, shape, so I think that takes a level of getting used to obviously with all the running the jumping the pushing and so on. Personally I think we'd need to get back up into like where we ended this, I mean where we ended the season it would be really tough. I think you'd need. I'd say minimum. Two and a half, three weeks of some pretty intense. And that's like really if we got after it so probably longer than that but I mean three weeks, you know, I'd be ready in three weeks. And have you talked to any of the other guys are they staying in shape have guys gotten out of game shape game shape out of shape a little bit or anything like that. Yeah, I mean, yeah, for sure we're definitely I mean, I'm, you know, you might be able to, you know, look at me right now and not know that I'm out of shape but I could run up it on a basketball court a few times a week just gassed. It's, it's a. Like I said game shape is impossible to keep unless you're playing games and so yeah we're trying to stay physically fit and keep our bodies ready for when we do forever we do come back but you know it's it's not like, um, you know it's not like there's, I can't imagine there's too many guys just sitting around sitting around, you know just eating whatever and, and just, you know, drinking non stop because that's just not in ours, it's really not in our nature to do that so I think we're all in shape but our game shape. Well put it this way. It's in my nature but you know there's also there's also a little part of it's a little part to fight against

DARYL RUITER:

Hey, Larry I know you're certainly not the only one that shares that again. I'm just kind of curious. With the timing, the scheduling, the need to get the testing ramped up. You know, aside from the desire to play Why is it so important for you guys to try and finish the season would it be beneficial maybe to limit the damage to this year and just start to look forward to the next season.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Um, so basically you're asking why why do I want to finish this year as opposed to just scrap it and go on to the next. For me that's for me that's just not great we're not in position to win a championship this year but if I was, if I was honest if I was LeBron if I was kawhi if I was you know on one of those championship caliber teams I'd be pretty upset about it, because it's very rare in this league that a chance like this comes along and and you know that's that's taken a valuable year off someone's career. But I think, you know, for me it's, and for all. Everybody in the league that's also, we want to finish this year one, obviously because, like I said, we love the game but at the same time there's a there's a serious chance of us missing out on what 20 plus percent of our contracts, which is, you know for a lot of guys pretty significant. And so, you know, wow, while money is a factor while, love, love of the game is a factor I think the biggest thing is just, you know, I want to see someone when we don't play a full, you know, we played 62 games you don't want to play 62 games just for the hell of it almost. And that's really what it would be you know you I want to see someone. I want to see someone with. If it can't you know if it can't be us I want to see someone, you know, I want to see someone with a car.

SPENCER DAVIES:

Just talking to JB like last week. He was basically talking about how optimistic he was and how optimistic you guys were. But, but just craving that competition as athletes and everyone that playing a team sport, can't get right now. One, how optimistic Are you that things are going to get better here in the coming weeks coming months and two How have you been able to be competitive when you can't be on the court.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

So for me I tried to. I'm just trying to watch other sports like. Like I said, back to a little bit back to cams question like I'm obviously a big soccer guy so like the Korean side the K League the Korean Soccer League came back and so I've been watching that like, like it's because it's the only, it's the only you know taste of soccer I can get, and then the German Bundesliga comes back this Saturday. And for me, I've been really interested to see how that works, because that's a league scale, similar to ours. And obviously you know Europe has progressed further along than we are this whole thing but like I'm really interested to see how they do, how they hold up an empty and empty arenas, you know, and I'm kind of basing that on and how we're going to do. I'm obviously I'm extremely hopeful that things are going to come back and resume as normal but cautiously optimistic Yes.

CHRIS FEDOR:

Larry before the practice facility opened up on Friday. What kind of things were you doing to stay in shape and just how beneficial for you in particular, is it to have the facility open up.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

So before, before I open back up I was just, you know, my wife has a peloton so I've been, you know, cycling away. And then just doing some doing the online little fitness classes with with D Mill our strength coach and all that and you know doing yoga on my own, so just trying to really do anything.

Reaching for absolutely anything, and then you know just the facilities reopen like it's it's for how is it what 27 for 12 years now. I haven't really worked out without a basketball in my hands. And so, you know, trying to learn how to do that was difficult. And so now, with practically being back open it just kind of. I'm back, like I'm kind of back at us you know with a ball in my hands I know how to get the good good kind of sweat in I know what's going to make give me a condition I know I know how to do that really well. And so, and so for me it's been, you know, it's just been. I haven't looked forward to anything more than going back to the gym every day.

KENNY RODA:

Larry. When the season, shut down you guys were five and six in your last 11 games and it looked like you guys were coming together How was that different than the four and five stars because it looked like at the beginning of the season okay four and five, this might work, it didn't. So what's the difference between the four and five star and five and six with JB as your coach.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

I think the biggest thing was just the, I think, I think a big thing was the level of competition that we were playing. I mean we sweet. During that during the stretch with JB I mean we beat a very good Heat team. We beat the Sixers. Gosh, it feels like it was so long ago. Oh, there you go, we beat San Antonio on our home court. You know we play it we play it and really competed with and beat some, some really good teams in that stretch and I think it was how we did it. No, there was no. You know, I think there was no fluke about it because you know love those fuels games when the overtime and we just out man the other team, and just our executed our physical muscles and so I think, I think, you know, for, for lack of. Another reason we want to get back is because for me at least I was really enjoying that just really enjoying getting to play and win and really compete really compete this year. And, you know, obviously I was also thoroughly excited to keep playing our big lineup that was probably my favorite. My favorite part of the year.

KENNY RODA:

Have you been watching last dance, and if so, do you have conversations with your dad about it and talk about competing Michael's level of competition.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Yeah, so I've been watching it religiously like everybody else. And it's actually pretty cool because I've gotten a unique perspective on it because I've been watching it with my dad. And so, you know, just to see the kind of, you know, see them say something about Michael and his competitiveness and just kind of watch my dad like hear my dad side of things has been really, really cool because for me, you know, and this is a debate that we've had since this thing started for me the greatest player I've ever seen so Brock, and for him, the greatest player he's seen is Michael so like it's just to, like, it's almost something that needs to be. It's almost like something like a, like a TV show in my head of like the, the new generation versus the old and, and, you know, it's just so cool to see that. You know the level of respect that everybody around him has for, you know, had friend, you know it has for Michael you know just, you know, from Barkley to bird saying like yeah this is this guy's the greatest player ever do it and, and, you know, just trying to, you know, our biggest conversations, if you think could get guys in this era to say that could we get KD could we get Steph to say that LeBron is the best. And I don't know I think that's, I think that's a whole new level of respect and I don't know that's just our, you know, it's just our whole debate while watching the show is just new versus old what why why Michael could have scored more in today's NBA but also why LeBron would have been so dominant in that league and so while it's been about MJ for obviously like we've been, we've been comparing contrasting errors and players and, and, you know, it's been it's been something that you know it's obviously it comes on Sunday but the conversations carry on until next Sunday.

BJ EVANS:

We also beat Denver in that stretch.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

That’s what I was thinking it was and that's a good win, I was really proud of that one.

TOM WITHERS:

Hey, Larry, um, first of all, thank goodness for the last dance right I don't know where any of us would be doing it without it. Hey, so I was curious, how have you been tested for the virus and. And then secondly with, we're all trying to figure out how risky we should be now especially with you know restaurants and such opening up at the end of this week. How confident are you right now about going out in public I mean beyond you know going to the facility and stuff to work out.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

So yeah, with the whole when the whole panic came I panic just like everybody else that got tested, I got tested yeah obviously came back negative but I when the panic, it just, I need to get tested and so wait in the line I got tested but and knock on wood, negative. And so, what was the second with restaurants and stuff. I don't even, even when restaurants and what start opening I don't plan on going back to them right away, that's not that's not something I necessarily want to be the first to do I'm not going to be the guinea pig in this.

TOM WITHERS:

Along those lines, though I mean, if not for what happened in that Utah game I mean the NBA was at the forefront of maybe shutting everything down would there be is there's something maybe pride falling that at some point, you know, like you said Bundislega going back to La Liga some others are trying to shoot the NBA. I hope maybe the NBA is the one to take the first steps to see what we can do in north in North America here from a team sport concept.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Um, that would be, I think it's I think it's two different things. You know the NBA is a top two top one top three a guaranteed top three sport over here, and you know the attendances the attendance is crazy the revenues crazy and it's in just the league that everybody loves and so, I think, a shutting down was was easier than it would be for us being the first to start because I would almost think that we want you to want to start at a smaller level to see how that turned out because if you started with. If you started with the time like BAM right off the bat La Liga came back in the Premier League came back it's like, wait, should we build back up into this thing instead of just, you know, shutting it you know, turning the lights on back on from the top. And so while yes I think it would be very cool to lead the charge and in reopening I also. I also think a smaller scale startup would be for the better.

CHRIS FEDOR:

Larry during this shutdown, you have lost like so many things that you love, whether it be basketball, soccer ability to do just normal day to day activities outside. Have you learned anything new about yourself during the shutdown.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

Um, yes. So the biggest thing I've learned about myself is I am really, really bad. As a handyman like really bad hammer and nails and screws and all that stuff is just not for me. I've tried I tried to put it in a little hurdle outside our house and I tried to put a roof on it. That was a no go by we I mean me my dad and my wife so that that's just not my thing. I have discovered that I, I do get bored of video games. But other than that, not really. I feel like at this point I've done I think I have as MJ would say a competition, probably because I feel like I'm, you know, it shouldn't scratch and for any for any, you know, for any kind of competition.

JIM CHONES:

Young Nance. Oh, what's up. You play a big lineup, and you have to do that lineup more justice that big line, you should become you play considerably what they call small forward. And you look so happy. And you had a size advantage. And you've always had a smart advantage, no matter who you played against what are your thoughts on playing that three position, I mean I'd like to hear how do you feel about it. And then what's the learning process and the confidence, playing because you were getting better and better and.

LARRY NANCE JR.:

So, I love playing three. I love playing three from a mainly defensive standpoint. I feel like I'm big enough and strong enough to stay with the strongest of threes. I feel like I'm quick enough and athletic enough to stay with, you know, the quicker, more, more agile ball handling threes and so defensively, I think it's a perfect fit. But something that I really try to take the challenge in and take pride in is my defense and so you know where I start to not necessarily enjoy the three spots is on offense. And that's mainly because of the modern day offense unless you're you have LeBron or Kevin Durant or kawhi playing at three you're mainly a spot of a spot up guy and that's that's something that I would have to get more used to or something that I would, I would hope our offense would cater more towards is allowing me to three position maybe to do more facilitating and the initiating offense. You know I know so i would i would certainly welcome the challenge and welcome the idea of playing a three and playing more of it. You know, and getting to expand my game more because since I've gotten to come to Cleveland it's it's been really really fun getting to see what I can do and experiment with that so I'm open to it, there's something that if this summer they told me they wanted to learn the three more while they wanted me to learn three more I'd be in the gym, seven days a week working on it.

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