Really ever since he left the Milwaukee Bucks back in the 2014-15 season, there have been talks about when Larry Sanders would return to the NBA. In the last month or so, that discussion gained serious steam as Sanders worked out for multiple teams down in Miami. Then, on March 10, Sanders tweeted that he’ll soon need his goggles back, seeming to imply that he was indeed returning to basketball. 

On Monday, the news became official, as Shams Charania of The Vertical reported that Sanders reached an agreement to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

Via The Vertical:

Larry Sanders has reached agreement on a contract with the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers, completing his return to the NBA, league sources told The Vertical.

Sanders and his agent, Joel Bell, traveled to Cleveland on Sunday, and Sanders will undergo a physical exam on Monday morning before signing the deal, league sources said. Sanders’ deal will cover the remainder of this season and likely include a guarantee trigger date for 2017-18, league sources said.

With Kevin Love still out, and Andrew Bogut’s stint with the team lasting less than a minute, the Cavs are thin in the frontcourt. And even when Love returns, Tristan Thompson will still be their only true rim protector. Taking a chance on Sanders - -who was a shot-blocking machine back at his peak with the Bucks, sending away 2.8 shots per night during the 2012-13 season -- being able to give them some useful minutes down the stretch and in the playoffs is a worthwhile gamble for Cleveland. 

For now, though, it seems the plan is to have him play with their D-League team in order to get back into game shape. 

If Sanders proves himself in the D-League and is able to contribute even just somewhere around 8-10 minutes a night in the postseason, it could prove quite worthwhile for a Cavs team that’s currently 23rd in opponent’s second chance points, and 15th in opponent’s points in the paint.