National Basketball Association

Cleveland Cavaliers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Cavaliers

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of three expansion teams to join the NBA in 1970 and are just captured a first NBA title. Who are their 25 best players?

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; A general view of a painting outside of Quicken Loans Arena prior to game six of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of three expansion franchises to join the NBA in 1970, part of a growth spurt during which the NBA nearly doubled from nine teams to 17 in a span of four years.

Nick Mileti was the original owner and “Cavaliers” beat out such entries as Jays, Foresters and Presidents in a name-the-team contest conducted by the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Playing their first four seasons in the intimate, 9,900-seat Cleveland Arena, the Cavaliers didn’t reach the playoffs until year six, two years into their stay at the Richfield Coliseum south of Cleveland.

But the franchise took a dire turn in 1979, after Mileti sold his shares to minority owner Joe Zingale, who in turn sold the team to Ted Stepien early in 1980.

The Stepien era was disastrous, so much so that the man has an NBA rule named after him. The Stepien Rule is the clause by which teams aren’t allowed to trade first-round picks in consecutive years.

Stepien threatened in 1982 to move the team to Toronto, but George and Gordon Gund stepped into the breach and purchased the team.

The NBA, as a sweetener to the deal, awarded the franchise extra first-round picks from 1983-86 to help more rapidly heal the damage done by Stepien’s wheeling and dealing.

The team made the postseason eight times in a nine year span from 1988-96, moving to the newly built Gund Arena (now known as Quicken Loans Arena) in downtown Cleveland in 1994.

Dan Gilbert purchased the Cavaliers in 2005 and remains the owner.

In 46 seasons, Cleveland has made only 20 playoff appearances.

The Cavs have made the postseason five straight seasons on two separate occasions (1992-96 and 2006-10). Their longest playoff drought was a seven-year stretch from 1999-2005.

And for the long-suffering Cleveland fan base, the Cavaliers provided quite a tonic in June when they captured their first NBA title, becoming the first team to win the NBA Finals after trailing 3-1 and beating the Golden State Warriors in seven games.

The city had been bereft of a champion since the NFL’s Cleveland Browns won the league title in 1964. You have to go back to 1948 to find a World Series championship for MLB’s Cleveland Indians.

Cleveland has lost twice in the NBA Finals. In 2007, the Cavaliers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs and in 2015, Cleveland lost to the Warriors in six games.

They have a winning percentage of .464 (1,728-1,996) in their history, ranking 22nd among the 30 active franchises.

The Cavs have two 60-win seasons, including a franchise-record 66 in 2008-09. Cleveland was 61-21 in 2009-10.

Conversely, the club has had 60 or more losses four times. They set a franchise record with 67 defeats in their inaugural campaign in 1970-71 and tied that mark in 1981-82. The Cavaliers lost 65 games in 2002-03 and 63 in 2010-11.

The Cavaliers have had 10 general managers in 45 seasons, with Wayne Embry the longest-tenured from June 1986 through June 1999. Bill Fitch doubled as coach and general manager from April 1973 through May 1979 and Jim Paxson was GM from June 1999 through April 2005.

Current general manager David Griffin took over the club on an interim basis in February 2014 and has had the position on a permanent basis since May of that year.

Embry is the only Executive of the Year award winner in franchise history, receiving the honor in 1991-92 and 1997-98.

The team has employed 20 different coaches, with Lenny Wilkens (1986-93) the winningest coach in franchise history at 316-258 in the regular season and 18-23 in the playoffs.

Mike Brown served two stints (2005-10 and 2013-14) and was 305-187 with a 42-29 playoff record. The franchise’s first coach, Fitch, was 304-434 from 1970-79 and went 7-11 in the postseason and Mike Fratello (1993-99) went 248-212 and 2-12 in the playoffs.

Current coach Tyronn Lue has been on the job less than a full season, leading the Cavaliers to a 27-14 record after David Blatt was fired in January. His postseason record is 16-5.

Fitch was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1975-76 and Brown took the honor in 2008-09.

Even though they are a relatively young franchise, the Cavaliers have had the No. 1 overall pick six times—the most in league history.

Those picks included Austin Carr of Notre Dame in 1971, North Carolina’s Brad Daugherty in 1986, LeBron James of Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, in 2003, Duke’s Kyrie Irving in 2011, Anthony Bennett of UNLV in 2013 and Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins in 2014.

Cleveland has picked second once, third once and fourth twice, never selecting fifth.

Here are the 25 best players in the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Players had to have appeared in 150 games and averaged a minimum of 20 minutes per game for the team to qualify for this list.

NEW YORK – CIRCA 1978: AustinCarr #34 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball while defended by Earl Monroe #15 of the New York Knicks during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at Madison Square Garden in the Manhattan borough of New York City. Carr played for the Cavaliers from 1971-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Austin Carr; Earl Monroe

Austin Carr

SG, 1971-80

Austin Carr was a two-time All-American at Notre Dame and averaged 38 points per game as both a junior and a senior.

He was exactly the type of offensive threat a new expansion team would look for and the Cleveland Cavaliers, after a 15-67 inaugural season captured them the top pick, took Carr No. 1 overall in the 1971 NBA Draft.

He was a first team All-Rookie selection in 1971-72 despite missing almost half the season with foot injuries and was an All-Star in 1974.

Carr worked as both a starter and a reserve during his time with the Cavaliers before he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the May 1980 expansion draft.

In nine seasons with Cleveland, Carr averaged 16.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 29.9 minutes per game, shooting .451/2-for-6/.808.

After just eight appearances for the Mavericks, Carr’s contract was sold to the Washington Bullets in November 1980.

He retired after being waived by Washington in August 1981.

His is now the director of community relations for the Cavs and is also a color commentator on their television broadcasts.

RICHFIELD, OH – CIRCA 1978: Jim Chones #22 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots against the Houston Rockets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Coliseum at Richfield in Richfield, Ohio. Chones played for the Cavaliers from 1974-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jim Chones

Jim Chones

C, 1974-79

The Cleveland Cavaliers were in negotiations with free agent Jim Chones to entice him to jump from the rival ABA to the NBA, but they needed something first.

So in May 1974, the Cavaliers send a first-round pick in 1975 to the Los Angeles Lakers for the rights to Chones.

He signed three days later and gave the Cavaliers an inside presence they had lacked, helping them to their first playoff berth—and an Eastern Conference Finals bid—in 1976.

In October 1979, he was dealt back to the Lakers in exchange for Dave Robisch and a third-round pick in 1980.

In five seasons with Cleveland, Chones averaged 14.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game, shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 70.4 percent at the line.

He was an All-American as a junior at Marquette, averaging 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game and signed with the ABA’s New York nets in February 1972.

In typical ABA fashion, the Nets then selected him in the first round of the 1972 ABA Draft … almost two weeks later.

Chones was a second-round pick, 31st overall, by the Lakers in the 1973 NBA Draft.

An ABA All-Rookie selection in 1972-73, Chones was traded to the Carolina Cougars in September 1973 in exchange for a draft pick and cash.

With the Lakers, he was part of their 1980 NBA title team.

In July 1981, he was part of a package including Brad Holland, a second round-pick in 1982 and a first-round selection in 1983 sent to the Washington Bullets as compensation for Los Angeles’ signing of veteran free agent Mitch Kupchak.

Waived by the Bullets in October 1982, Chones played a season in Italy before retiring in 1983.

Basketball: Cleveland Cavaliers Craig Ehlo (3) in action, layup vs Philadelphia 76ers Charles Shackleford (14). Richfield, OH 1/11/1992 CREDIT: David Liam Kyle (Photo by David Liam Kyle /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X42358 )

Craig Ehlo

SG, 1987-93

You just never know what you’re going to find when you go bargain hunting.

So it was for the Cleveland Cavaliers when they signed Craig Ehlo as a free agent in January 1987.

Ehlo had been playing for the Mississippi Jets of the Continental Basketball Association after being waived by the Houston Rockets in October 1986 and made the most of his second change in the NBA.

He spent 2½ seasons as a reserve before assuming the starting shooting guard job in 1989-90 and provided the Cavaliers with floor spacing.

Ehlo signed as a free agent with the Atlanta Hawks in July 1993.

In parts of seven seasons with Cleveland, Ehlo averaged 9.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals in 28.7 minutes per game, shooting .463/.381/.681.

A JUCO transfer to Washington State, he averaged 12 points per game as a senior.

He was taken by the Rockets in the third round, 48th overall, of the 1983 NBA Draft and was a seldom-used reserve who played for Houston in the 1986 NBA Finals.

Released by the Hawks in June 1996, Ehlo signed with the Seattle SuperSonics a month later.

He retired after the 1996-97 season. Life after pro basketball has been tough at times for Ehlo, who has battled an addiction to painkillers that led to a run-in with the law.

CLEVELAND, OH – CIRCA 1972: Sidney Wicks #21 of the Portland Trail Blazers drives on Jim Brewer #52 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during an NBA basketball game circa 1972 at the Cleveland Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Wicks played for the Trail Blazers from 1971-76. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Sidney Wicks; Jim Brewer

Jim Brewer

PF, 1973-79

An All-American as a senior at Minnesota, Jim Brewer averaged 14.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game and saw his draft stock soar.

Maybe even a little too far. He was taken second overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1973 NBA Draft and, despite putting together a solid career, was dogged by that lofty selection.

Brewer spent two seasons as a reserve before taking over as the starting power forward in 1975-76, which also happened to be the season the Cavaliers reached the postseason for the first time.

He was an All-Defensive selection in 1975-76 and again in 1976-77 before returning to a reserve role.

Brewer was traded in February 1979 along with the ubiquitous “future considerations” to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Earl Tatum.

In parts of six seasons with Cleveland, Brewer averaged 7.5 points and 7.7 rebounds in 27.1 minutes per game, shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 59.5 percent at the foul line.

In September 1979, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he spent one season.

He was swapped to the Los Angeles Lakers in October 1980, where he was part of their 1982 NBA title team, and played three seasons in Italy before retiring in 1985.

19 Dec 1994: Forward Tyrone Hill of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Cavaliers won the game 77-63. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport

Tyrone Hill

PF-C, 1993-97, 2001-03

The Cleveland Cavaliers added a frontcourt rotation player in Tyrone Hill in July 1993, acquiring him from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for a first-round pick in 1994.

Hill came to the Cavaliers and fought through injuries while manning the center and power forward spots, earning an All-Star spot in 1995.

He was fifth in the NBA in rebounding in 1994-95 and second in the league in field-goal percentage in 1996-97.

In September 1997, Hill was part of a star-studded three-team trade, sent to the Milwaukee Bucks with Terrell Brandon and a first-round pick in 1998. Cleveland got back Sherman Douglas from the Bucks and Shawn Kemp from the Seattle SuperSonics.

The Cavs brought Hill back in an August 2001 trade along with Jumaine Jones from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Robert Traylor, Matt Harpring and Cedric Henderson.

Hill was waived in February 2003.

In parts of six seasons with Cleveland, Hill averaged 10.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game, shooting .521/0-for-5/.650.

As a senior at Xavier, Hill averaged 20.2 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.

He was the 11th overall pick by the Warriors in the 1990 NBA Draft.

In March 1999, Hill was traded to Philadelphia.

In March 2003, he returned to the 76ers as a free agent.

Hill signed with the Miami Heat in November 2003, retiring after he was waived less than a month later.

UNITED STATES – NOVEMBER 01: Basketball: Cleveland Cavaliers Carlos Boozer (1) in action, making dunk vs Portland Trail Blazers Zach Randolph (50), Portland, OR 11/1/2003 (Photo by Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X69558 TK1)

Carlos Boozer

PF, 2002-04

Carlos Boozer had earned All-America honors as a junior at Duke, averaging more than 18 points and nearly nine rebounds per game before opting to turn pro, but his draft stock plummeted because of concerns over his weight.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finally took him off the board in the second round, 34th overall.

The weight thing never was an issue, as it turns out, and Boozer was an All-Rookie selection in 2002-03, when he was third in the NBA in field-goal percentage, and he was fifth in the league in rebounding in 2003-04.

The Cavaliers lost Boozer, however, in July 2004 when they declined to match an offer sheet extended to the restricted free agent by the Utah Jazz.

In two seasons with Cleveland, Boozer averaged 12.6 points and 9.4 rebounds in 29.8 minutes per game, shooting .528/1-for-7/.769.

He went on to become a two-time All-Star and an All-NBA pick in 2007-08 with the Jazz.

Boozer agreed to a deal with the Chicago Bulls and moved there in a sign-and-trade in July 2010.

Waived by the Bulls via the amnesty clause in July 2014, Boozer was claimed off waivers two days later by the Los Angeles Lakers.

He did not play in 2015-16 and reportedly has a deal to play this season in China.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – CIRCA 1983: World B. Free #21 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over Billy Knight #25 of the Indiana Pacers during an NBA basketball game circa 1983 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. Free played for the Cavaliers from 1982-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** World B. Free; Billy Knight

World B. Free

SG, 1982-86

The Cleveland Cavaliers sought scoring punch when they acquired former All-Star World B. Free from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Ron Brewer in December 1982.

And that’s what Free brought to the Cavaliers, finishing second in the NBA in three-pointers in 1984-85 and third in 1985-86, while also finishing fifth in three-point shooting in 1985-86.

His contract expired in July 1986 and Free eventually signed as a veteran free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers in December of that year, with the Cavaliers receiving a second-round pick in 1990 as compensation.

In parts of four seasons with Cleveland, Free averaged 23.0 points, 3.9 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 33.1 minutes per game, shooting .454/.378/.766.

He averaged 25.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game at Guilford College, an NAIA school in North Carolina, and was a second-round pick, 23rd overall, by the 76ers in the 1975 NBA Draft.

Free was traded to the San Diego Clippers in October 1978.

An All-Star in 1980 and an All-NBA pick in 1978-79 with the Clippers, he was dealt to Golden State in August 1980.

Free was waived by the 76ers in March 1987 and after playing briefly in the U.S. Basketball League signed with the Houston Rockets in October of that year.

Waived by Houston in July 1988, Free retired until attempting a comeback in the USBL in 1991.

CLEVELAND, UNITED STATES: Cleveland Cavaliers’ guard Andre Miller (R) drives against New Jersey Nets’ guard Jason Kidd during the fourth quarter 19 March 2002 at Gund Arena in Cleveland, OH. Cleveland defeated New Jersey 100-97. (DAVID MAXWELL/AFP/Getty Images)

Andre Miller

PG, 1999-2002

Andre Miller was an All-American as a senior at Utah, averaging nearly 16 points and six assists and more than five rebounds per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected the point guard with the eighth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft.

As a part-time starter, he earned first team All-Rookie honors in 1999-2000 and went on to lead the NBA in assists in 2001-02.

In July 2002, he was traded with Bryant Stith to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Darius Miles and Harold Jamison.

In three seasons with Cleveland, Miller averaged 14.5 points, 8.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 32.5 minutes per game, shooting .452/.245/.812.

He signed with the Denver Nuggets as a free agent in August 2003 and was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in December 2006.

Miller signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in July 2009 before he was traded back to the Nuggets in a three-team deal in June 2011.

In February 2014, he landed with the Washington Wizards in a three-team trade and in February 2015, he was traded to the Sacramento Kings.

He signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in August 2015, but was waived Feb. 25, 2016.

Four days later he signed a deal for the rest of the season with the San Antonio Spurs.

He played in just 39 games, starting four, and averaged 3.7 points and 2.2 assists in 11.8 minutes per game, shooting .557/2-for-8/.750.

Miller turned 40 in March and is unsigned for next season. He is 17th in NBA history with 1,304 games, 30th with 40,268 minutes, ninth with 8,524 assists, 35th with 1,546 steals and 38th with an average of 6.5 assists per game.

CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 8: Cleveland Cavaliers’ Shawn Kemp (C) fights for a finger-tip rebound with the Orlando Magic’s Horace Grant (L) and Matt Harpring (R) during the final minutes of the fourth quarter in Cleveland on 08 April, 1999. Kemp came down with the rebound, but the Cavaliers lost to the Magic 69-73. (ANTHONY ONCHAK/AFP/Getty Images)

Shawn Kemp

PF-C, 1997-2000

The Cleveland Cavaliers were part of a blockbuster three-team trade in September 1997, acquiring All-Star Shawn Kemp from the Seattle SuperSonics and Sherman Douglas from the Milwaukee Bucks, giving up Terrell Brandon, Tyrone Hill and a first-round pick in 1998 to the Bucks.

Kemp was an All-Star for the final time in his career with the Cavs in 1998.

He left via a three-team trade to the Portland Trail Blazers in August 2000, with Cleveland acquiring Clarence Weatherspoon, Chris Gatling and a first-round pick in 2001 from the Miami Heat and Gary Grant from the Blazers.

In three seasons with Cleveland, Kemp averaged 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks in 33 minutes per game, shooting .441/5-for-16/.762.

Despite never playing at Texas’ Trinity Valley Community College, he was the 17th overall pick by the SuperSonics in the 1989 NBA Draft.

He had been a McDonald’s All-American at Concord High School in Elkhart, Ind., and attended Kentucky before leaving after accusations of off-court misbehavior arose.

Kemp was a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection in Seattle and helped the Sonics to the 1996 NBA Finals.

In September 2002, Kemp signed with the Orlando Magic and never played again after the 2002-03 season, despite numerous reported comeback attempts.

He is 48th in NBA history with 1,279 blocked shots.

LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1987: Ron Harper #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers goes up for a layup over Bernard King #30 of the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1987 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Harper played for the Cavaliers from 1986-89. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ron Harper; Bernard King

Ron Harper

SG, 1986-89

Ron Harper had an amazing senior season at Miami (Ohio), earning All-American honors while averaging more than 24 points and four assists and nearly 12 rebounds per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers kept the Ohio native close to home when they selected him with the eighth overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft.

In November 1989, he was traded with first-round picks in 1990 and 1992 and a second-round selection in 1991 to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Reggie Williams and the rights to second overall pick Danny Ferry.

In parts of four seasons with Cleveland, Harper averaged 19.4 points, 5.1 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and a block in 35.1 minutes per game, shooting .474/.226/.713.

Harper signed as an unrestricted free agent in September 1994 with the Chicago Bulls and was part of three championship teams there before being released in September 1999.

He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in October 1999, earning two more title rings before retiring after the 2000-01 season.

Harper is 21st in NBA history with 1,716 steals and 47th with an average of 1.7 steals per game.

ORLANDO, FL – MAY 30: Delonte West #13 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the hoop against Courtney Lee #11 of the Orlando Magic in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2009 Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 30, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Delonte West

SG-PG, 2008-10

The Cleveland Cavaliers were looking to bulk up for a possible second straight NBA Finals run in February 2008 when they acquired Delonte West and Wally Szczerbiak from the Seattle SuperSonics as part of a three-team deal.

The Cavaliers also got Joe Smith, Ben Wallace and a second-round pick in 2009 from the Chicago Bulls and traded Drew Gooden, Larry Hughes, Shannon Brown and Cedric Simmons to Chicago and Donyell Marshall and Ira Newble to Seattle.

West remained with the Cavs until traded with Sebastian Telfair to the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2010 in exchange for Ramon Sessions, Ryan Hollins and a second-round pick in 2013.

In parts of three seasons with Cleveland, West averaged 10.3 points, 3.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 29.7 minutes per game, shooting .450/.378/.815. He does not appear on any of the franchise’s all-time leaderboards.

He averaged 18.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.7 assists as a junior at Saint Joseph’s before declaring for the pros.

West was the 24th overall pick  by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA Draft.

He was dealt to the SuperSonics on draft night in June 2007.

Waived by Minnesota in August 2010, West re-signed with the Celtics in September of that year.

As a free agent in December 2011, he signed with the Dallas Mavericks and was waived in October 2012.

West last played in the D-League in 2014-15.

LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1978: Campy Russell #21 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Russell played for the Cavaliers from 1974-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Campy Russell

Campy Russell

SF, 1974-80, 1984

Campy Russell opted to turn pro after an All-American junior year at Michigan during which he averaged nearly 24 points and more than 11 rebounds per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took the small forward with the eighth overall pick in the 1974 NBA Draft.

Russell emerged as a key sixth man in his second season and a full-time starter in his third. He was an All-Star in 1979 for the Cavaliers.

In September 1980, he was traded to the New York Knicks in a three-team deal, with the Cavaliers getting Bill Robinzine from the Kansas City Kings.

He came back to the Cavs in a September 1984 trade with the Knicks in exchange for a second-round pick in 1985.

But Russell—who had missed the previous two seasons because of knee problems—was waived in November 1984, which voided the draft pick to New York. The pick was contingent upon Russell being on the Cavaliers’ roster on Dec. 1.

In parts of seven seasons with Cleveland, Russell averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 28.2 minutes per gamne, shooting .456/1-for-10/.770.

While with the Knicks, Russell led the NBA in 3-point shooting in 1981-82.

He spent a season in the Continental Basketball Association before retiring in 1985.

Mar 26, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams (52) in action against New York Knicks point guard Jerian Grant (13) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Mo Williams

PG, 2008-11

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up a point guard in a three-team swap in August 2008, acquiring Mo Williams from the Milwaukee Bucks, while shipping Damon Jones to the Bucks and Joe Smith to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Williams was an All-Star in 2009 for the Cavs, finishing third in the NBA in three-pointers and fifth in free-throw shooting in 2008-09.

In February 2011, he was traded with Jamario Moon to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Baron Davis and a first-round pick in 2011.

In July 2015, Williams returned to the Cavaliers as a free agent.

Expected to carry some of the load at the point while Kyrie Irving recovered from a knee injury, he played in just 41 games because of a sprained thumb and knee troubles of his own. He averaged 8.2 points and 2.4 assists in 18.2 minutes per game on .437/.353/.905 shooting.

He played in six of the seven games as the Cavs won their first championship in the 2016 NBA Finals over the Golden State Warriors, averaging 1.5 points in 4.8 minutes per game while shooting 4-for-12/1-for-5/—.

In parts of four seasons in Cleveland, Williams has averaged 14.8 points, 4.6 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 30.9 minutes per game, shooting .442/.402/.891.

He put up 16.4 points a game as a sophomore at Alabama before declaring for the draft.

Williams was a second-round pick, 47th overall, by the Utah Jazz in the 2003 NBA Draft.

He left to sign with the Bucks in August 2004.

Williams returned to Utah as part of a four-team trade in June 2012 and signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in August 2013.

A free agent again, Williams signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in July 2014 and was traded to the Charlotte Hornets in February 2015.

Williams exercised his player option for 2016-17 on June 14, 2016, and is 23rd in NBA history with a free-throw percentage of .871.

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson (13) dunks in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 115-101. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Tristan Thompson

PF, 2011-16

Tristan Thompson played a single season at Texas before opting into the draft, averaging 13.1 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took the Canadian native with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

He played a big role in the 2015 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, averaging 10.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 41.1 minutes per game on .500/—.600 shooting as the Cavaliers fell in six games to the Golden State Warriors.

Last season, armed with a new contract, Thompson averaged 7.8 points and 9.0 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game, appearing in all 82 games and starting 34 of them while shooting .588/—/.616.

In the rematch with Golden State in the NBA Finals, he put up 10.3 points and 10.1 rebounds om 32.3 minutes per game while starting all seven games and shooting .636/—/.533 as the Cavaliers won their first NBA championship.

In five seasons with Cleveland, Thompson has averaged 9.7 points and 8.5 rebounds in 28.5 minutes per game, shooting .502/0-for-6/.630.

A restricted free agent, Thompson finally agreed to a five-year, $82 million deal with the Cavaliers in October 2015. That deal runs through the 2019-20 season.

Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao (17) gets a rebound during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Anderson Varejao

C-PF, 2004-16

The Orlando Magic had selected Brazilian big man Anderson Varejao in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft and traded his rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers less than a month later along with Drew Gooden and Steven Hunter in exchange for Tony Battie and second-round picks in 2005 and 2007.

And that set the stage for more than a decade in Cleveland for Varejao.

An All-Defensive selection in 2009-10, Varejao battled through numerous injuries during his time with the Cavaliers.

He was a reserve on their 2007 NBA Finals team, averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 24.5 minutes per game, shooting 10-for-15/—/10-for-16 as the Cavs were swept in four games by the San Antonio Spurs.

He did not play in the 2015 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors due to an Achilles injury.

On Feb. 18, 2016,, Varejao was traded with a 2018 first-round pick to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a three-team deal, with Cleveland also sending Jared Cunningham to the Orlando Magic, while acquiring Channing Frye from the Magic.

Waived the same day by Portland, Varejao landed with the Warriors as a free agent four days later and played in six of the seven NBA Finals games against the Cavaliers last June.

In parts of 12 seasons with Cleveland, Varejao averaged 7.6 points and 7.5 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game, shooting .512/.024/.632.

Varejao was a second-round pick out of FC Barcelona in Spain in 2004. On July 17, 2016, he agreed to a veteran’s minimum one-year deal to remain with Golden State.

CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 8: Cleveland Cavaliers guard Terrell Brandon (L) drives for the basket against Mark Jackson (R) of the Indiana Pacers during the first half of game action at Gund Arena 07 November. Brandon scored 20 points but the Pacers outscored the Cavaliers 104-101. (KIMBERLY BARTH/AFP/Getty Images)

Terrell Brandon

PG, 1991-97

Terrell Brandon opted for the pros after averaging nearly 27 points and five assists per game as a sophomore at Oregon.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took the point guard with the 11th overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft.

While Brandon was an All-Rookie selection in 1991-92, he didn’t become a full-time starter until midway through his third season. He did OK once he did though, earning two All-Star nods.

He was second in the NBA in free-throw shooting in 1996-97 and third in 1995-96.

In a huge three-team trade in September 1997, Brandon was sent with Tyrone Hill and a first-round pick in 1998 to the Milwaukee Bucks, with Sherman Douglas coming back from the Bucks and Shawn Kemp acquired from the Seattle SuperSonics.

In six seasons with Cleveland, Brandon averaged 12.7 points, 4.9 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 26.6 minutes per game, shooting .446/.360/.868.

Brandon was part of another three-team swap in March 1999, going to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In July 2003, he was sent to the Atlanta Hawks in a four-team trade—although he hadn’t played in a game since 2002 because of injuries.

He retired in March 2004 after being waived by Atlanta in February.

He is 19th in NBA history with a free-throw percentage of .873.

UNITED STATES – NOVEMBER 27: Basketball: Cleveland Cavaliers Drew Gooden (90) in action vs Boston Celtics Kendrick Perkins (43), Cleveland, OH 11/27/2007 (Photo by Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X79207 TK1 R1 F543)

Drew Gooden

PF, 2004-08

The Cleveland Cavaliers were shopping for size when they acquired Drew Gooden along with Steven Hunter and the rights to second-round pick Anderson Varejao from the Orlando Magic in July 2004 in exchange for Tony Battie and second-round selections in 2005 and 2007.

Gooden stepped into the power forward spot for the Cavaliers and was part of their 2007 NBA Finals team.

He averaged 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 27.5 minutes per game, shooting .500/0-for-1/7-for-8 in a four-game sweep at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs.

In February 2008, Gooden was traded with Larry Hughes, Cedric Simmons and Shannon Brown to the Chicago Bulls as part of a three-team deal, with the Cavs also giving up Donyell Marshall and Ira Newble to the Seattle SuperSonics, getting back Joe Smith, Ben Wallace and a second-round pick in 2009 from the Bulls and Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West from Seattle.

In parts of four seasons with Cleveland, Gooden averaged 11.9 points and 8.6 rebounds in 29.1 minutes per game, shooting .483/.175/.740.

He was an All-American as a junior at Kansas, averaging 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, before opting into the draft.

Gooden was the fourth overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2002 NBA . In February 2003, he was dealt to the Magic and was an All-Rookie selection in 2002-03.

He was traded to the Sacramento Kings in February 2009, but was waived less than two weeks later. In March 2009, Gooden signed with the Spurs.

In July 2009, he signed with the Dallas Mavericks and was traded in February 2010 to the Washington Wizards.

Four days later, he wound up with the Los Angeles Clippers as part of a three-team trade.

Gooden signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in July 2010.

A free agent in the summer of 2013, Gooden was unsigned until joining Washington in February 2014, first on a pair of 10-day contract and then for the remainder of the season.

Last season, he was bothered by back and calf injuries and appeared in just 30 games, averaging 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 10.2 minutes per game while shooting .320/.171/9-for-14.

The Wizards declined the option on Gooden’s contact on July 7, 2016, making him a free agent. He remains unsigned.

Basketball: NBA Playoffs: Cleveland Cavaliers John Hot Rod Williams (18) in action vs Boston Celtics Larry Bird (33) at Boston Garden. Game 6. Boston, MA 5/15/1992 CREDIT: Manny Millan (Photo by Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X42889 )

Hot Rod Williams

PF-C, 1986-95

Hot Rod Williams had a difficult start to his NBA career.

Accused of shaving points while at Tulane, Williams was selected in the second round, 45th overall, of the 1985 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but could not sign while being tried on charges of sports bribery.

His first trial was declared a mistrial. He was later acquitted on all five counts and signed with the Cavaliers in June 1986 after playing in the U.S. Basketball League in 1985-86.

Williams was a first team All-Rookie selection in 1986-87 and spent the better part of a decade with the Cavs until he was traded in October 1995 to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Dan Majerle, Antonio Lang and a first-round pick in 1997.

In nine seasons with Cleveland, Williams averaged 12.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game, shooting .482/2-for-16/.730.

Waived by the Suns in June 1998, he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in January 1999.

In August 2000, Williams was traded to the Boston Celtics in a four-team deal and retired after being waived that October.

He is 39th in NBA history with 1,456 blocked shots and 45th with an average of 1.6 blocks per game.

UNITED STATES – MAY 10: Basketball: NBA Playoffs, Cleveland Cavaliers Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11) in action vs Boston Celtics, Game 3, Cleveland, OH 5/10/2008 (Photo by John Biever/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X80263 TK1 R9 F22)

Zydrunas Ilgauskas

C, 1997-99, 2000-10, 2010

The Cleveland Cavaliers went big with the 20th overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft, taking 7-foot-3 behemoth Zydrunas Ilgauskas from Lithuania.

And then watched it almost all blow up because of chronic foot problems.

Ilgauskas missed all of the 1996-97 season before coming back to earn first team All-Rookie honors in 1997-98.

But the foot broke again in 1999, costing him 45 games of the lockout-shortened season, all of the 1999-2000 campaign and 58 games in 2000-01.

He was relatively healthy after that, enough to be named a two-time All-Star and help the Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals.

Ilgauskas averaged 7.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 25.8 minutes per game, shooting .351/—/5-for-6 as the San Antonio Spurs won the title in four straight games.

In February 2010, he was sent to the Washington Wizards with Emir Preldzic and a first-round pick in 2010 as part of a three-team trade in which Cleveland acquired Sebastian Telfair from the Los Angeles Clippers and Antawn Jamison from the Wizards.

Waived by Washington nine days later, Ilgauskas would return to the Cavaliers as a free agent in March.

In July 2010, he signed a deal with the Miami Heat.

In parts of 12 seasons in Cleveland, Ilgauskas averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game, shooting .475/.313/.780.

Ilgauskas retired after being waived by the Heat in December 2011.

He is 44th in NBA history with 1,327 blocked shots.

Jun 2, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love (0) handles the ball against Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala (9) during the fourth quarter in game one of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Love

PF, 2014-16

Once LeBron James returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the front office switched gears and started trying to build a contending roster around him.

One of the biggest pieces was acquiring All-Star power forward Kevin Love from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team deal in August 2014.

The Cavs gave up Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins–the previous two No. 1 overall draft picks–and a trade exception, while also sending a 2016 first-round pick to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Love’s individual numbers have plummeted since the trade, but Cleveland has reached back-to-back NBA Finals and won the franchise’s first championship.

He did not play in a six-game loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 2015 NBA Finals, having been lost for the season to a shoulder injury earlier in the playoffs.

In 2015-16, Love appeared in 77 games and averaged 16.0 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 31.5 minutes per game on .419/.360/.822 shooting.

He was healthy for the 2016 NBA Finals rematch with the Warriors, putting up 8.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 26.3 minutes per game.

He played in six games–missing Game 3 with a concussion and coming off the bench in Game 4–and shot .362/5-for-19/12-for-17 in the seven-game victory.

In two seasons with Cleveland, Love has averaged 16.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 32.6 minutes per game, shooting .426/.363/.813.

He was an All-American in his lone season at UCLA, helping the Bruins to the Final Four while averaging 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game.

The Memphis Grizzlies took Love with the fifth overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and swapped him to the Timberwolves on draft night.

He was a second team All-Rookie selection in 2008-09 and got better from there. He was the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2010-11, a two-time All-NBA pick and a three-time All-Star for Minnesota, leading the NBA in rebounding in 2010-11.

Love finished fourth in scoring twice with the Wolves, to go with second- and third-place finishes in the rebounding race.

He re-signed with Cleveland as a free agent in July 2015, agreeing to a five-year, $113 million deal that includes a player option for the last season in 2019-20.

Love is 21st in NBA history with an average of 11.5 rebounds per game.

UNITED STATES – FEBRUARY 28: Basketball: Cleveland Cavaliers Brad Daugherty (43) in action, making dunk vs Phoenix Suns, Phoenix, AZ 2/28/1993 (Photo by John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (SetNumber: X44029)

Brad Daugherty

C, 1986-94

Brad Daugherty broke out as an All-American as a senior at North Carolina, averaging more than 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds per game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers used the first overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft to take the Tar Heel center.

That pick had moved twice prior to the draft.

The Cavaliers acquired the selection in a trade the day before the draft from the Philadelphia 76ers, who had acquired it almost seven years earlier in a trade with the San Diego Clippers in October 1979.

He was an All-Rookie selection in 1986-87 and went on to become a five-time All-Star with the Cavaliers, earning All-NBA honors in 1991-92.

Daugherty was second in the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1992-93 and fourth in 1991-92.

But he couldn’t beat recurring back problems and after missing 2½ seasons, he retired in June 1996.

In eight seasons with Cleveland, Daugherty averaged 19.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 36.5 minutes per game, shooting .532/2-for-14/.747.

He is 36th in NBA history with a field goal percentage of .532 and 34th with an average of 36.5 minutes per game.

SAN ANTONIO, TX – CIRCA 1990: Larry Nance #6 of the Cleveland Cavaliers gets position under the basket on Terry Cummings #34 of the San Antonio Spurs during an NBA basketball game circa 1990 at the HemisFair Arena in San Antonio, Texas. Nance played for the Cavaliers from 1988-94. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Larry Nance

PF, 1988-94

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired former All-Star Larry Nance along with Mike Sanders and a first-round pick in 1988 from the Phoenix Suns in February 1988.

The Cavaliers gave up Kevin Johnson, Mark West, Tyrone Corbin, a first-round selection in 1988 and second-rounders in 1988 and 1989.

Nance still had a lot of game going on. He was a two-time All-Star for the Cavaliers and was named All-Defensive three times.

He was third in the NBA in blocks in 1991-92 and fifth in 1988-89.

He retired in September 1994 because of recurring knee troubles.

In parts of seven seasons with Cleveland, Nance averaged 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.5 blocks in 34.6 minutes per game, shooting .530/.125/.804.

As a senior at Clemson, he averaged 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Nance was the 20th overall selection by the Suns in the 1981 NBA Draft and was an All-Star in 1985.

He also was the winner of the NBA’s first-ever Slam Dunk Contest in 1984, beating a star-studded field that included legendary high flyers Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins and Clyde Drexler.

Nance is 18th in NBA history with 2,027 blocked shots and a field-goal percentage of .546 and 17th with an average of 2.2 blocks per game.

Mar 9, 2016; Sacramento, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) drives to the basket against the Sacramento Kings during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Kyrie Irving

PG, 2011-16

Even though an injury limited Duke freshman Kyrie Irving to just 11 games, his potential was intriguing enough for the Cleveland Cavaliers to take him with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

It’s been a good choice.

Irving was the Rookie of the Year in 2011-12 and has gone on to become a three-time All-Star—winning MVP honors at the 2014 NBA All-Star Game—and was an All-NBA selection in 2014-15.

He was third in the NBA in minutes per game in 2014-15 while helping the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals.

But Irving played in just one game of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, going down late in Game 1 with a fractured kneecap after putting up 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks in 44 minutes while going 10-for-22 from the floor, 2-for-8 from 3-point range and 1-for-1 at the line.

The Warriors went on to win the series in six games.

Last season, Irving didn’t make it back from the knee injury until late December and his minutes were limited for about a month.

In 53 games, he averaged 19.6 points, 4.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 31.5 minutes a game on .448/.321/.885 shooting.

But he was rolling along in style by the time Cleveland got back to the Finals against the Warriors.

Irving put up 27.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals in 39.0 minutes per game in the series whole shooting .468/.405/.939. It was his three-pointer with 53 seconds left in Game 7 that gave the Cavaliers the lead for good.

In five seasons with Cleveland, Irving has averaged 20.8 points, 5.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 34.0 minutes per game, shooting .452/.378/.865.

Irving is under contract through 2018-19 with a player option for 2019-20 on an extension signed in July 2014.

LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1987: Mark Price #25 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball while defended by Muggsy Bogues #1 of the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1987 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Price played for the Cavaliers from 1986-95. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Mark Price

PG, 1986-95

The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired the rights to second-round pick Mark Price from the Dallas Mavericks on draft night in 1986 in exchange for a second-round pick in 1989.

For a franchise that has made numerous bad trades, getting the two-time All-American from Georgia Tech amounted to highway robbery.

Price was a four-time All-Star and a four-time All-NBA selection for the Cavaliers, leading the NBA in free-throw shooting in 1991-92 and 1992-93.

He was also second in the league in three-pointers in 1989-90, second in three-point shooting in 1987-88 and third in 1988-89 and second in free-throw shooting in 1994-95, fourth in 1988-89 and fifth in 1993-94.

He was traded to the Washington Bullets in September 1994 in exchange for a first-round pick in 1996.

In nine seasons with Cleveland, Price averaged 16.4 points, 7.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31.1 minutes per game, shooting .479/.409/.906.

Injured for much of 1995-96, Price signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent in July 1996, leading the NBA in free-throw shooting again in 1996-97.

He was traded to the Orlando Magic in October 1997 and retired after he was waived in June 1998.

Named head coach at Charlotte in March 2015, Price is 14-19 after one season with the program.

He is 30th in NBA history with a three-point percentage of .402, second with a free-throw percentage of .904 and 30th with an average of 6.7 assists per game.

OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 19: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers blocks a shot by Andre Iguodala #9 of the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 19, 2016 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

LeBron James

SF-SG, 2003-10, 2014-16

McDonald’s All-American LeBron James had been the next big thing for awhile, featured on a Sports Illustrated cover as a junior at Saint Vincent-Saint Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, picking first in the 2003 NBA Draft, took the Chosen One—as he was dubbed—when he opted to skip college.

James was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2003-04 and was named MVP in back-to-back seasons in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

He was also a six-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection and two-time All-Defensive pick and was MVP of the All-Star Game in both 2006 and 2008.

He was second in the MVP voting in 2005-06, fourth in 2007-08 and fifth in 2006-07, just for good measure.

James led the NBA in scoring in 2007-08 and in minutes per game in 2004-05, finishing in the top five in scoring six times and in minutes five times, while also placing third in steals in 2004-05.

He also helped the Cavs to the 2007 NBA Finals, averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 42.6 minutes per game, shooting .356/.200/.690 in a four-game loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

Then came the decision—or “The Decision”—heard ‘round the NBA in July 2010, when James opted to sign with the Miami Heat as a free agent.

The Cavaliers sent him there on a sign-and-trade arrangment, getting baack second-round picks in 2011 and 2012, a first-round selection in 2013, a future first-rounder and a trade exception.

James returned to Cleveland as a free agent in July 2014 and has two All-Star nods was an All-Star once again, two All-NBA selections and back-to-back third-place finishes in the MVP voting.

He was third in scoring and fifth in minutes per game in 2014-15. In 2015-16, James placed fifth in scoring.

The Cavaliers reached the Finals for the second time in franchise history, with James averaging 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 45.7 minutes per game, shooting .398/.310/.687 as the Golden State Warriors won in six games.

In 2015-16, he put up 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 35.6 minutes per game on .520/.309/.731 shooting.

Back in the Finals against the Warriors for a second straight season, James nabbed Finals MVP honors for the third time in his career, averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.3 blocks–the first player ever to lead a Finals in all five categories–in 41.7 minutes per game, while shooting .494/.371/.721.

The Cavaliers became the first team to erase a 3-1 Finals deficit, winning their first championship in the process.

In nine seasons with Cleveland, James has averaged 27.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.7 steals in 39.4 minutes per game, shooting .481/.330/.739.

While with Miami, James was a two-time MVP, four-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection and a four-time All-Defensive pick. He was also the Finals MVP for the Heat’s championships in 2012 and 2013.

James opted out of his contract after the season, but cashed in on a three-year, $100 million deal on Aug. 12, 2016, that includes a player option for the final season in 2018-19.

James is 39th in NBA history with 38,478 minutes, 30th with 1,343 three-pointers, 18th with 6,815 assists, 24th with 1,657 steals, 11th with 26,833 points, seventh with an average of 39.0 minutes per game, fifth with an average of 27.2 points per game and 28th with an averages of 6.9 assists per game.

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