Free agent Larry Sanders ended his two-year exile from the NBA by joining the injury-hit Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, the team announced.
Former Bucks star Sanders, 28, has not played since 2015, when he walked away from the NBA following multiple positive tests for marijuana.
He later underwent treatment for anxiety, depression and mood disorders.
However, he announced in January his intention to return to the sport and Cleveland have swooped following the injury which ruled out Andrew Bogut for the remainder of the season. Aussie big man Bogut was waived by the Cavs on Monday, the team confirmed.
Sanders was selected by the Bucks with the 15th overall pick in the 2010 draft. In five seasons with Milwaukee he averaged 6.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
Cleveland star LeBron James said at the weekend Sanders would be welcome at the Cavs.
“With his hiatus, I don’t know what he was going through so I can’t comment about somebody’s personal life because I wasn’t a part of it,” James told Cleveland.com.
“But it looks like he wants another opportunity and hopefully if we’re the team, hopefully we give him an opportunity. Why not?
“Everyone deserves a second chance and it looks like he wants to get back to playing the game he loves and hopefully this is his destination. You don’t know how much you can get out of a guy that’s been out so long, but I’d love to see it. Why not?”
Iguodala fined over racially charged comments
Golden State Warriors guard Andre Iguodala was fined $10,000 on Monday for racially charged remarks deemed “inappropriate” by the NBA.
Iguodala incurred the wrath of the league for comments made following the Warriors’ 103-102 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves last Friday.
Asked about a plan by coach Steve Kerr to rest Iguodala and other Warriors stars for Saturday’s game against San Antonio, Iguodala replied: “Nope, no clue. I do what master say.”
He later used a notorious racial slur when quizzed about the Warriors’ loss to Minnesota. NBA executive vice president of basketball operations Kiki VanDeWeghe said in a statement Iguodala had been fined for “making inappropriate comments during a postgame media interview.”
Warriors coach Kerr later laughed off the remarks, telling reporters: “You guys just got Andre’d.” “Andre is one of those guys who likes to stir the pot and has a lot of cryptic messaging at times,” Kerr added.
“(He) jokes around. I didn’t take anything from it. It’s just Andre being Andre.”
Iguodala scored eight points in 32 minutes after coming on off the bench against the Timberwolves.
Larry Sanders
