ATLANTA -- Don't get Larry Nance Jr. wrong. He's thrilled to be joining the Cavaliers.

But "borderline tears" as general manager Koby Altman said Thursday when he traded for Nance?

Not so.

"I gave him a hard time for that because that's not true," Nance said after his first Cavs practice on Saturday. "I was excited, absolutely. I was super excited. We had a good conversation. He could tell I was excited, he was excited about bringing me here. This is home. There was a little bit of extra emotion, but not teary. I'm more of a man than that."

Nance and Jordan Clarkson were shipped to the Cavs Thursday for Isaiah Thomas, Channing Frye, and Cleveland's 2018 first-round pick.

Nance is pumped because, of course, he's coming to play in the community where he grew up, in an arena where his father's jersey hangs in the rafters.

Larry Nance Sr. played for the Cavs from 1987-94. Junior was born on New Year's Day of dad's second-to-last season. So Nance Jr. naturally doesn't remember any of his dad's career, nor does he have any recollections of the jersey retirement ceremony. But he's seen the pictures.

The Nance family made its home in northeast Ohio and all three Nance children went to Revere High.

"I love the Cavs," Nance Jr. said. "You should see our house."

A reporter joked to Nance Jr. Friday that he'd be the only NBA player currently living at home with Mom and Dad. No, Nance Jr. fired back, he has a fiancee and there was emergency house hunting to be done.

Otherwise, though, the excitement is real for Nance to be coming home to play.

"The first person I called was my Mom and Dad and let them know I was coming home," Nance Jr. said. "They didn't believe me at first, thought I was kind of messing with them. I said, 'No. Here in about 45 seconds you'll get the update on your phone.' Pretty cool experience."

Nance Jr. said "there's something about it that just feels right," and he "can't wait to play in my first game alongside these guys and play for the team I've been rooting for my whole life."

Nance Jr. will wear No. 24 and didn't think about wearing his father's No. 22 -- which, as previously mentioned -- is a retired number.

"Obviously people texted me, 'What are you going to wear? What are you going to wear?'" Nance Jr. said. "I wanted 7 (Bingo Smith), couldn't have that. He earned that. That's his accomplishment. I believe he deserves to keep that and it needs to stay up there."