The Los Angeles Lakers were definitely eyeing Pete Nance earlier this month, looking to snag him for one of their three two-way contract spots. That was right after the Milwaukee Bucks released him, putting Nance back on the market. It seems like the Lakers wanted to make a move, but the Bucks had other plans.
The Play to Keep Nance in Brewtown
According to reports from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, it wasn’t just the Lakers who registered two-way contract interest in Nance. The 76ers were also in the mix when the 26-year-old became a free agent. But Milwaukee was convinced they could get Nance to stay put, and they were proven right. He’s still a Buck, rocking the green and cream. Nance, the younger brother of former Laker Larry Nance Jr., has bounced around a bit since going undrafted in 2023, spending time with the Bucks, Sixers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. It shows the league sees something in this guy, and Milwaukee clearly didn’t want to let him get away for good.
Why Nance is on the Radar
So, why were the Lakers and Sixers so interested? Well, Nance had his best run yet last season for Milwaukee. As the Bucks dealt with a tough year, Nance got real minutes, playing in a career-high 47 games and logging 737 minutes on the court. He averaged a career-best 5.4 points per game, even dropping a 23-point bomb against the Houston Rockets and hitting double-digits in 11 other games. His standout skill? That outside shot. Nance has drained a killer 41.7% of his career triples, going 60-of-144 from deep. For the Lakers, that floor-spacing as a legit “4” could have been a nice piece, a duplicate element behind Sandro Mamukelashvili in case of rotational trouble. He wouldn’t have cracked their main rotation, but a player who can knock down threes like that is always valuable.
Lakers’ Current Two-Way Roster
For now, the Lakers are rolling with Arthur Kaluma, Chris Mañon, and AK Okereke in their two-way spots. Honestly, it’s early, but only Mañon has seen any regular-season action with three minutes logged so far. Most of their playing time will likely come with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, which kicks off its season November 6 with the Tip-Off Tournament. Last season, Kaluma showed some flashes for South Bay in 35 appearances, averaging 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, shooting 54.5% from the floor, including 36.4% from beyond the arc. Mañon also played well in 33 appearances, putting up 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.0 steals. Okereke is fresh out of college, a rookie looking to make his mark. With two of the Lakers’ three wins this season being decided in the fourth quarter, every bit of talent depth matters.
The G League season starts November 6. Keep an eye on Kaluma, Mañon, and Okereke to see how they develop and if any of them can carve out a role like Nance did last year.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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