The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly uninterested in dealing away one of their veteran centers.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Hawks "continue to rebuff all trade interest in versatile veteran forward Larry Nance Jr. ... just as they did throughout the offseason after Nance arrived in Atlanta alongside defensive ace Dyson Daniels in the Dejounte Murray trade" from the New Orleans Pelicans.
Stein's report comes after fellow insider Jake Fischer recently reported that Atlanta would be open to moving Nance for the right offer.
"I know the Hawks really like Larry [Nance Jr.]. I don't think they're actively shopping him," Fischer said during a live stream on Bleacher Report on Dec. 6. "If they get some real value for him on the trade market, they would absolutely meet and probably move him."
Nance has appeared in nine games this season and hasn't played since Nov. 17. However, he was inserted into the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Denver Nuggets after power forward Jalen Johnson was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
In his nine appearances, Nance averaged 7.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.6 minutes while shooting career highs of 65.1 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from three-point range. In his lone start this year on Nov. 1 against the Sacramento Kings, he played just eight minutes and had two points and three rebounds. However, he had a breakout performance on Nov. 12 when he dropped 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting with five three-pointers in a win over the Boston Celtics.
It sounds like the Hawks prefer to hold onto Nance as a depth piece in the frontcourt rather than deal him away before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.
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