The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their big man Tristan Thompson when they lost to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night. Thompson rolled his ankle when he stepped on another players foot, and while he finished the game, the ankle swelled overnight and doctors diagnosed Thompson with an ankle sprain. With Thompson out, the Cavs are not missing both of their frontcourt starters as Kevin Love is still out injured as well. Meanwhile, Cedi Osman and Larry Nance Jr. are in the starting lineup, something no one could have predicted when the 2017-18 NBA season started.

In an interview on Monday, Cavs head coach Tyronn Lue revealed how much time Thompson will miss.

Tristan Thompson's injury status

Tristan Thompson actually had one of his better games of the season before his injury, scoring 12 points with seven rebounds and a steal. He was actually heading up recently, with three straight double-digit rebound games before the Nuggets loss. Now, Cavs coach Tyronn Lue says that Thompson will miss the next two weeks as he recovers from his ankle sprain.

Tristan Thompson is in the middle of a five-year contract worth $82 million and he is doing almost nothing to earn that money. Thompson started the season benched -- moved to the second team when the Cleveland Cavaliers started Kevin Love at center.

It didn't take long for Thompson to return but has only averaged 6.3 points and 6.5 rebounds a game this season.

Cavaliers fans might be forgiven for wishing that Tristan Thompson will stay on the injured list -- especially after how Larry Nance Jr. performed in his first game as the Cavs starting center.

Larry Nance Jr.

Larry Nance Jr.

is a legacy player with the Cleveland Cavaliers. His dad played for the Cavs and now Nance has a chance to do something the Los Angeles Lakers wouldn't let him do. He can prove to be a quality starter. In his first game starting in Cleveland, Nance scored 22 points and pulled down 15 rebounds in the Cavs 112-90 blowout of the Detroit Pistons.

Tristan Thompson only scored in double-digits seven times this season and only had double-digit rebounds seven times. He had a total of three double-doubles this season. He has never broken 20 points scoring this season and has only eclipsed 15 rebounds once. In one game as a starter, Larry Nance Jr. played better than Thompson has played all season.

All Tyronn Lue would say was that Larry Nance Jr. was "starting now" for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he now has two weeks to make it impossible for Lue to consider moving him back to the bench. Tristan Thompson might be watching his starting job go away while rehabbing his ankle