Promoting Pete Nance from a two-way to a standard contract was a nice feel-good gesture from the Milwaukee Bucks to reward their G League standout, but they had more than just a nice story in their thought process when they did so. With Nance's deal incredibly team-friendly and featuring two years of non-guaranteed money, per Spotrac's Keith Smith, bringing him back feels like an obvious move.
Nance is a shining light in Bucks' gloomy season
With injuries tearing Milwaukee's playoff hopes to shreds down the stretch, Nance has seen a larger opportunity for the Bucks. He played the most significant role of his career to date in the team's loss to the Houston Rockets, a matchup in which the Bucks only had eight available players that quickly turned to seven after a Gary Trent Jr. injury.
It was already clear that Nance deserved to stick around, but he only fortified the notion in Houston. In 40 minutes, he tallied 23 points, three rebounds, and a blocked shot, shooting 9-of-13 on his shot attempts, including 5-of-9 from distance. Timely shot-making from Nance was one of the reasons it was even close, as the forward flexed his offensive arsenal time and time again.
Following that performance, Nance is now averaging 8.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while hitting 40.5 percent of his 3-pointers over his last nine games. Sure, on the surface, those aren't any earth-shattering statistics, but this is also the forward's first legitimate NBA opportunity. The growth is happening each day, and he's finding his stride as a jack of all trades. He's worth exploring.
Keeping Nance long-term is a no-brainer for Milwaukee
Guaranteeing Nance's deal for next season won't cost the Milwaukee Bucks much. It would be a team-friendly decision, making it all the more obvious that it's the route they will go. Rightfully so, as there is no telling how the frontcourt will look after the summer, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, and Kyle Kuzma all in trade talks while Jericho Sims ponders his player option.
Whether the Bucks rebuild for the future or retool with contending in mind, Nance fits either version of the Milwaukee Bucks moving forward. His sweet shooting and tenacious rebounding make him the type of player who could help this team mightily. Nance can only reinforce this idea further down the stretch of the regular season, as he's bound to continue earning significant playing time.
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