NBA Rumors: Larry Sanders Training For Comeback, Several Teams Interested

One of the most enigmatic players could possibly be on his way back to the NBA. According to SB Nation, Larry Sanders has been training for a comeback, and several teams are said to be interested in signing him. The defensive center has not played since leaving the league at the beginning of 2015.

There was a good amount of mystery surrounding the departure of Larry Sanders from the NBA. Some cited an illness, while others simply stated that it was for personal reasons. There were also those that believed that Sanders had an addiction to drugs, specifically marijuana. Sanders later revealed that he was dealing with anxiety and did not want to play basketball.

Losing Larry Sanders was a big deal for the Milwaukee Bucks, who officially bought him out in February of 2015. Back then, he was considered one of the best shot blockers and rim defenders in the entire NBA.

Larry Sanders is working out in California. Several teams have shown interest in him and he remains open to the idea of an NBA comeback.

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 7, 2016

According to ESPN, the Milwaukee Bucks signed Greg Monroe in the summer of 2015. He took over the starting center position. Monroe was one of the most coveted free agents that summer, spurning a big contract from the New York Knicks. He surprised many by choosing the Bucks, a team that doesn’t normally attract a lot of big name free agents.

After signing Greg Monroe, the Milwaukee Bucks took a step backwards. They ended up winning only 31 games this past season. The season before that, the Bucks were able to win 41 games and made the NBA Playoffs. Monroe was a part of the problem.

The reason why the Milwaukee Bucks are willing to trade Greg Monroe is because he simply is not a good fit with the rest of the roster. He’s an old school center that likes to score in the low post. Monroe is a better fit in a slow-paced offense, whereas the Bucks have a lot of athletic gazelles on the roster.

According to ESPN, the Brooklyn Nets traded Thaddeus Young to the Indiana Pacers earlier this offseason. That has left a void at the power forward position, and management would love to find a defensive minded big man to play next to starting center Brook Lopez.

The Brooklyn Nets are in the process of finalizing a deal with Trevor Booker, a free agent that was most recently with the Utah Jazz. He will attempt to fill the power forward void.

If Larry Sanders were to regain the form that made him one of the best defenders in the NBA, then he could quite possibly be an upgrade over Trevor Booker. Brooklyn Nets management will more than likely do their due diligence and have a conversation with Sanders and his representatives.

According to ESPN, Larry Sanders will participate in a $2 million tournament that features 64 teams composed of former NCAA and NBA players. Many believe that will be the start of his comeback to the National Basketball Association. There are some really good players in the tournament, so Sanders will get to see if he still has what it takes to play basketball on a high level.

As of right now, none of the NBA teams have officially come forward about being interested in Larry Sanders. However, after the tournament is over, the rumors should start to fly. Meetings should be set up before the regular season begins.

The strange saga of Larry Sanders is about to take another twist. If he can get his life back in order and become a good player in the NBA again, then that will be a feel-good story.

[Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images]