All in the family: Cavs add another Nance as Pete signs two-way contract

The Cavaliers signed forward Pete Nance to a two-way contract Monday. The 6-foot-11, 230-pounder appeared in two games for Cleveland after signing a 10-day contract with the team on Jan. 18. Nance also appeared in 29 games (24 starts) this season for the G League Cleveland Charge and averaged 13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.34 blocks. He posted the Charge's first triple-double in more than two years on Jan. 10 at Indiana when he finished with 27 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 12 assists. Nance went undrafted after one season at the University of North Carolina (2022-23) and four seasons at Northwestern (2018-22). He averaged 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 137 games (104 starts) during his collegiate career. Last season at UNC, the Bath Township native started all 30 games and averaged 10.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.13 blocks. He led the Tar Heels in blocks (34), finished second in free throw percentage (.816) and third in 3-pointers made (32). His father, Larry Nance Sr., was a former standout performer with Cleveland and has his No. 22 jersey retired at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. His brother, Larry Nance Jr., played for the Cavs and is now a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. Pete Nance, 23, was a former All-Ohio performer at Revere High School. Under his two-way contract, he'll be able to split time with the Cavs and their G League affiliate. Getting tough? Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell said he likes the fact that several players have been standing up for themselves in recent games, including Georges Niang and Jarrett Allen. Niang got into a skirmish with Chicago guard Koby White last week and Allen shoved Brooklyn's Ben Simmons the week before. "It's different people every night," Mitchell said. "It shows that they care. We're not going to go out there and fight. This isn't WWE." The Cavs were portrayed as soft against the New York Knicks in last year's playoffs. Mitchell said that's never been the case. "That's not who we were," he said. "We had a bad four games (in the playoffs). Ultimately, you're only as good as your last playoff series. What we do today and tomorrow doesn't mean anything. Once we get to April, we'll have to continue to play that way with that aggressiveness and physicality and dominate the way we have been." Shooting touch Since Niang's 33-point effort against Milwaukee on Jan. 17, he's made just 19-of-60 shots from the 3-point line (.317). "Are you saying I stink?" he joked. Contact Bob Finnan at rfinnan30@gmail.com. Follow him @BobCavsinsider on X.