When the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted LeBron James in the 2003 NBA Draft, they had hopes that the hometown hero would lead the team to their first championship in franchise history. James came into the league straight out of high school, and he had the most hype of a player since Michael Jordan. For seven years, LeBron James played his part in leading the Cavaliers to new heights, including multiple No. 1 seeds, two MVP Awards, and an appearance in the 2007 NBA Finals.
However, James came up short multiple times and decided to pursue championships with a superteam in Miami. After winning two titles and making four championships, James came back home in 2014. He led the team to an NBA Finals appearance, but the team was bested before making another appearance in 2016. This time, the Cavaliers were down 3-1 to a team that won an NBA record 73 regular season games. The Cavaliers would go on to become the first team to come back from that deficit to win the title and bring a championship to Cleveland for the first time in team history, and it ended a 52-year championship drought dating back to the 1964 title won by the Cleveland Browns.
This team will always remain special. Some of the players remain in the league while others are pursuing other phases of their life. This series has followed other great teams, featuring the 1992 Dream Team and 2012 Dream Team, as well as some other great squads in the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers and 2011 Chicago Bulls. We added another team to the series with the 2016 Cavaliers.
Here is where the 2016 Cavaliers are now.
Jordan McRae (Professional Basketball Player)
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McRae was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Draft with the No. 58 overall pick. He spent time with the Melbourne United and Delaware 87ers of the D-League. McRae was an NBA D-League All-Star in 2016, and that led to his callup with the Phoenix Suns, where he played seven games. Then, he played 15 games with the Cavaliers averaging 4.1 points in 7.5 minutes. In the playoffs, McRae appeared in two games and averaged 2.0 minutes per game.
Since getting waived in 2017, McRae has spent three seasons with the Wizards. That included setting a new NBA G-League season high with 54 points on January 18, 2019. McRae then spent some time with the Nuggets and Pistons before signing with the Beijing Ducks in 2020. After that, McRae spent a season with the Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A and is currently playing for the Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League.
Dahntay Jones (NBA Coach)
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Jones was always a favorite for his toughness and his grit. The 2015-16 season started with Jones playing for the Grand Rapids Drive before getting a call-up with the Cavaliers in 2016. This was the tail-end of Jones’ career, but he would make his debut on April 13, 106. Jones was best remembered for being suspended one game in the Conference Finals for his groin hit on Bismack Biyombo in Game 3. However, Jones saw early minutes in Game 6 of the NBA Finals due to teammates in foul trouble and helped close out the win with five points and one rebound.
After a brief break from basketball, Jones returned to the NBA as a player development and video coach for the Los Angeles Clippers, where he has served on Tyronn Lue’s staff. Lue was Jones’ coach when Lue was the coach for the Cavaliers. Jones has served in this role since 2020.
James Jones (NBA Executive)
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Jones was a longtime teammate of LeBron, dating back to their time together in Miami. Jones played a part off of the bench with the Heat and won two titles and then joined James in Cleveland in 2014, where he played until he retired in 2017. Jones averaged 3.7 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.6 minutes during this season. Jones finished 10th in the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, as many teammates encouraged that he was a great teammate.
Immediately after retiring from the league, the Phoenix Suns snatched Jones up as the Director of Player Personnel. One year later, Jones was named the interim general manager and helped orchestrate trades that included Kelly Oubre and Tyler Johnson. In 2020, Jones was the one that orchestrated the trade that brought Chris Paul and then acquired Jae Crowder, which were vital pieces that helped the team make the NBA Finals in 2021. Jones was named Executive of the Year. Before this season, Jones was promoted from GM to President of Basketball Operations.
Mo Williams (Jackson State Head Coach)
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Williams will always be a fan favorite with the Cavaliers. He was an All-Star with the team in 2009 and then returned to the Cavaliers in 2015 as a piece of the bench. Over the first 23 games of the season, Williams made 14 starts and averaged 13.0 points and 4.7 assists. Williams saw his minutes decrease later on due to chondromalacia in his knee, but he returned for the playoffs in limited time.
After leaving the league in 2017, Williams entered the coaching world. Williams was named an assistant coach for the Cal State men’s basketball team in 2018, where he spent two seasons. In May 2020, he was named head coach of Alabama State. He went 4-14 his first season and then 9-21 last year. He resigned in March 2022 and was then named the head coach at Jackson State. The team is currently 2-12.
Timofey Mozgov (Professional Basketball Player)
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When the Cavaliers made the NBA Finals in 2015, it was a career season for Mozgov, which vaulted him to a starting role for the 2015-16 season. Mozgov started in 48 of the 76 games and averaged 17.4 minutes as a backup. In the playoffs, Mozgov saw his minutes decrease, but he played in 13 games and averaged 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds. That led to Mozgov signing a four-year, $64 million contract with the Lakers in the 2016 offseason.
Mozgov’s time with the Lakers was dreadful, which resulted in him being included in a trade package with D’Angelo Russell for Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma. Mozgov eventually led the NBA in 2019 and has since played professional basketball internationally. Mozgov returned to his home country and played for Khimki of the VTB United League and EuroLeague. Since December 2021, Mozgov has been a member of the Runa Basket Moscow team of the Russian Basketball Super League 1.
Matthew Dellavedova (Sacramento Kings Guard)
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After going undrafted in 2013, Dellavedova has surprised everyone by owning a successful NBA career. The Saint Mary’s star was an important reserve during the regular season, averaging 7.5 points and 2.1 rebounds. In the playoffs, Dellavedova continued to play a backup role by averaging 12.1 minutes per game with 3.9 points and 2.8 assists per game.
After the championship, Dellavedova cashed in on his opportunity in a sign-and-trade with the Bucks that led to a four-year, $38 million contract. The Cavaliers brought him back in December 2018, where he played with the team through the 2020-21 season. However, a variety of injuries derailed that season, and it led to Dellavedova signing a three-year deal with the Melbourne United of the Australian NBL. In the offseason, the Kings signed Dellavedova and guaranteed his contract for the season after averaging 1.3 points and 1.2 assists.
Channing Frye (Podcaster And Analyst)
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Frye enjoyed a long career in the league after being selected in 2005, but he will best be remembered for his role with this team. The Cavaliers acquired Frye at the deadline in exchange for Jared Cunningham and a future second-round pick. Frye helped the team stretch the floor and was a key reserve off the bench. Frye’s best game was 27 points in the second round against the Hornets in Game 3.
The Cavaliers traded Frye to the Lakers with Isaiah Thomas and a 2018 first-round draft pick for Jordan Clarkson, and Larry Nance Jr. Frye returned to the team in the offseason and then left the league in 2019. Frye was added to the NBC Sports Northwest crew as their podcast host for Talkin’ Blazers Podcast. His last episode was published in 2021. Frye has also worked as a studio analyst for NBATV and TNT.
Iman Shumpert (Entertainer)
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Shumpert was acquired by the Cavaliers in 2015 in a three-team trade that also brought J.R. Smith to the Cavaliers. Shumpert brought wing defense to the team and toughness to the floor. During the championship ride, Shumpert missed the opening part of the season due to a ruptured Extensor Carpi Ulnaris in his right wrist but made his debut in the middle of December. Shumpert played nearly 25 minutes per game in the regular season. In the playoffs, he shot his highest field goal percentage (46.2) in six playoff appearances.
Shumpert played for the Cavaliers for two more seasons and then joined the Kings in 2018. He was traded mid-season to the Rockets and Nets. After playing in two games in 2020-21 for the Nets, he left the league for good. He went on to participate in Dancing with the Stars, where he was the champion with his partner Danielle Karagach. Shumpert has taken advantage of the entertainment industry and has dedicated time to acting and making music.
Richard Jefferson (ESPN Analyst)
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Jefferson was not a scoring sensation that helped the Nets make the NBA Finals in his earlier years, but he played a vital role in winning his first championship. Jefferson was credited for being a leader in the locker room and playing a reserve role. That included filling in for the injured Kevin Love in the NBA Finals. In Game 3, Jefferson played 33 minutes and scored nine points and eight rebounds.
Jefferson left the league in 2018 and got straight into broadcasting. Jefferson joined the YES Network as the Nets’ game and studio analyst, which was a perfect setup for the player that helped the team make the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. Jefferson joined ESPN in 2019 and has appeared on NBA Countdown, NBA Today, First Take Get Up, and SportsCenter.
Tristan Thompson (Free Agent)
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In 2011, the Cavaliers drafted Thompson with the No. 4 overall pick, and he grew into the team’s starting center. During this season, Thompson was rotated with Timofey Mozgov throughout the season. Thompson tied a franchise record by appearing in 361 consecutive games and then broke the record three days later. Thompson averaged 7.9 points and 9.0 rebounds in the regular season and then 6.7 points and 9.0 rebounds in the playoffs.
Thompson played with the Cavaliers for four more seasons. He was acquired by the Celtics in 2020-21 and then played for three teams in 2021-22. That included starting with the Kings before Thompson was traded to the Pacers with Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton in a package headlined around Domantas Sabonis. Thompson played the final 23 games with the Bulls. He remains a free agent, but his return to the league is in question due to the passing of his mother.
J.R. Smith (College Student And Gamer)
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Smith brought outside shooting and consistency to the offense during the team’s four-year run to the NBA Finals between 2015 and 2018. During this season, Smith started 77 games and averaged 12.4 points, shooting 41.5% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range. In the playoffs, Smith averaged 11.5 points and shot 45.9% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range. That included starting all 21 games and averaging 34.5 minutes per game.
Smith played for the Cavaliers for three more years. He joined LeBron in Los Angeles for the 2019-20 season and played in 10 games during the team’s championship run. Smith left basketball for good in 2021 when he enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University to pursue a degree in liberal studies and join the golf team. Smith finished his year as the North Carolina A&T Academic Athlete of the Year with a 4.0 GPA. In 2021, Smith was also signed with Complexity Gaming, where he played in Warzone tournaments.
Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers Forward)
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We are starting to get into the big three that made up the team. Kevin Love cost the Cavaliers the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, but he was worth it. Love made two All-Star teams with the team and was a vital part of the team’s success for the championship team. Love recorded 17 points and 13 rebounds in Game 1 but suffered a concussion in Game 2 of the Finals that forced him to miss time in Game 3. Love returned for Game 4 off of the bench but struggled in games four, five, and six. Despite his horrid play, Love came up big in Game 7 with nine points and 14 rebounds to help the team win the championship.
When LeBron left the Cavaliers in 2018, Love signed an extension with the team for four years and $120 million. This is the final year of that contract. Since then, Love has struggled to stay on the floor, playing in 102 games between 2018 and 2021. Last year, Love was the runner-up in the Sixth Man of the Year voting after averaging 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds with 39.2% shooting from three-point range in 74 games.
Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets Guard)
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When LeBron left the team in 2010, it led to a disastrous season. Irving was the next savior of the team after he was selected No. 1 overall in 2011. After developing into an All-Star, it was one of the helpful factors in LeBron coming back to the team in 2014. Irving was the perfect piece next to LeBron. Irving will always be remembered for his 41 points in Game 5 to stave off elimination, becoming the first pair of teammates to score 40 points in a Finals game as LeBron added 41 points too. Irving then hit the go-ahead three-pointer with 53 seconds left in Game 7 that propelled the Cavaliers to a 92-89 win.
Irving played one more season with the Cavaliers and then requested a trade from the team after the 2017 NBA Finals because he did not want to play with LeBron anymore. The Cavaliers traded Irving to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the rights to the first-round pick in 2018 that became Collin Sexton. Irving then joined the Nets in free agency in 2019 with Kevin Durant. Since then, he registered a 50-40-90 season in 2020-21. However, Irving has yet to play in the NBA Finals since then.
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers Forward)
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When James came back to Cleveland, it was championship or bust. After falling short in 2015, James was in the middle of controversies featuring head coach David Blatt, who was eventually fired from the Cavaliers and replaced by Ty Lue. Despite the distractions, the Cavaliers won 57 games to claim the best record in the East. In the playoffs, James led the Cavaliers to the team’s first championship and won the Finals MVP Award after averaging 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 2.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks. It was the first time that a player in league history led both teams in all five statistical categories for a playoff round.
After that, James led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2017 and 2018. He joined the Lakers in 2018 and has played with the team ever since. James won the Finals MVP Award in 2020 after leading the Lakers to their first title since Kobe Bryant’s days in 2010. Currently, James is on pace to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time scoring record. It’s one of many accomplishments that James owns in his career. Despite being 38 years old, James appears to have numerous years left in the league with hopes of winning another championship.
Source: fadeawayworld
