Cleveland Cavaliers

If the NBA does go through with reported plans to create a second bubble environment in September for the eight teams who didn't qualify for the Orlando restart, don't expect the Cleveland Cavaliers to have a full roster.

After ESPN's Jackie MacMullen reported the league is looking at bringing teams not participating in Orlando to Chicago this fall for training camps and games, an unnamed veteran Cavs player told Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor he wouldn't want to play and doubts "many vets will." 

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1278790366624452608

Fedor believes the Cavs' impending free agents would be most likely not to join the team in a second bubble should the league approve it. Specifically, Tristan Thompson, Matthew Dellavedova and Ante Zizic. Zizic in particular has been receiving interest from overseas clubs such as Real Madrid, per Fedor. 

Andre Drummond, who the team acquired at the trade deadline from Detroit, has a player option in 2020 and would also be considered a candidate to sit out. Other veterans on the team include Kevin Love, Dante Exum and Larry Nance Jr.

There's no question Cleveland has its work cut out for it and could use extra time in the practice gym. At 19-46, the Cavs finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

Who’s ready for a Cavs V Warriors part IV... 😂🤷🏽‍♂️ https://t.co/JAqI9orUw5

— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) July 2, 2020

Shooting guard Collin Sexton, small forward Cedi Osman and point guard Darius Garland are expected to play a foundational role for the club moving forward, but only have four years experience combined, to say nothing of the fact that Cleveland parted ways with head coach John Beilein in mid-February and replacement coach JB Bickerstaff has only been in the position for 11 games. 

In a normal offseason, players would get the added experience of playing in summer leagues and working out together outside of team activities. The coronavirus pandemic has made that much more complicated.

While an eight-team bubble may provide a solution, it's not immediately clear how most athletes would feel about putting themselves in such an environment. 

The eight teams not included in the NBA's regular-season restart may have a chance to get back on the court this summer, which has Larry Nance Jr. dreaming of reigniting the rivalry between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors. 

Amid a report from ESPN's Jackie MacMullan that the non-playoff teams could get their own hub in Chicago, Nance responded with a joke on Twitter:

Who’s ready for a Cavs V Warriors part IV... 😂🤷🏽‍♂️ https://t.co/JAqI9orUw5

— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) July 2, 2020

The only flaw with that is the Cavs and Warriors already met in the Finals four straight times from 2015-18, but the error can be forgiven since he was only part of the last matchup.

Nance spent more than two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before being traded to Cleveland in February 2018. 

According to MacMullan, the eight teams not going to Orlando are pushing for an "alternative plan that would enable them to hold mini-camps within their local markets and to explore the idea of establishing regional sites where teams could scrimmage against each other."

When the NBA season was suspended on March 11, the Cavs and Warriors were in a race for the league's worst record. Golden State wound up winning the battle at 15-50, four games worse than Cleveland's 19-46 mark.   

Andre Drummond only played eight games with the Cleveland Cavaliers before the NBA went on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic, yet that may have been enough time for both sides to consider a long-term future together.

According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, there has been mutual interest between Drummond and the Cavs to get an extension done for the 26-year-old.

Yet there are a few factors that could change that, per Fedor:

"At this point, sources say, both sides have shown interest in an extension. But there's so much to figure out before late October, when Drummond could technically sign a new deal.

"What happens if the Cavs draft either Memphis center James Wiseman, who shares the same agent with Drummond, or USC's Onyeka Okongwu? Would the Cavs, after picking their center of the future, really turn around and give a lucrative, lengthy deal to Drummond? That would be a massive investment in a position that continues to lose its importance. Would Drummond really commit to a team that just chose his eventual replacement?

"The Cavs also have to determine whether a commitment to Drummond is even worth it. It's one thing for him to opt in and swallow their cap space in a feeble free agency summer. But a long-term deal could take away Cleveland's financial flexibility for the foreseeable future."

Cleveland traded Brandon Knight, John Henson and a 2023 second-round draft pick to the Detroit Pistons for Drummond at the deadline in February. The seven-year vet averaged 17.7 points, 15.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season while shooting 53.3 percent from the field.

Drummond may be in the prime of his career, but the Cavs are far from contenders, having gone 19-46 in their shortened season—the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

The center has a player option for next season that would pay him $28.75 million, per Spotrac.com. Should he exercise the option, Drummond would become a free agent following the 2020-21 season unless he agrees to an extension with Cleveland.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love donated $500,000 through his foundation to UCLA's psychology department Monday, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press.  

"I hope one day we are able to erase the stigma around anxiety and depression, and we can only do that by improving diagnosis and treatment, fostering public conversations about mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it," the former Bruin said.

The NBA veteran has been open about his own mental health struggles and was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at Sunday night's ESPY Awards for continuing that conversation and destigmatizing mental health issues. 

"When heroes like Kevin come forward and share their vulnerability, it shines a light on anxiety and depression, and that helps chip away at stigma," said Michelle Craske, a UCLA professor of psychology, psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences. "I want to thank Kevin for his leadership and his courage to share his personal story with the world. He has inspired and provided hope to many."

In early April, with the NBA on hiatus amid the coronavirus pandemic and the country desperate for sports to watch, ESPN re-aired Games 5 and 7 from the 2016 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

While basketball fans across the country tuned in, so too did those who actually played in the game.

Kevin Love, part of a group text featuring Cavaliers who were on the 2016 title team, told Bleacher Report, "We were just breaking down the game and going back and forth and just reliving it."

"That's a bond that will really never be broken," Love continued, now four years after the Cavs took down a 73-9 Warriors team. "It doesn't feel like that long ago that, you know, we had come back from 3-1 and won away from home and ended that 52-year drought, so that's something that will always be, you know, right there, top of mind, that you can never take away from us."

While moments like LeBron James' block on Andre Iguodala, Kyrie Irving's game-winning dagger over Stephen Curry and Love's defensive stop on Curry immediately come to mind, a comeback from a 3-1 deficit took far more than just three plays.

Packed into the seven games were little moments that helped Cleveland climb out of what was previously an inescapable hole, and those moments were led by guys not named LeBron, Kyrie or Kevin.

These are the top unheralded plays, players and moments of the 2016 NBA Finals that, while rarely talked about, helped the Cavs take down Golden State.

           

Richard Jefferson Steps in for Concussed Kevin Love in Game 3

Following a 17-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 1, Love took an elbow to the head from Harrison Barnes in the second quarter of the Warriors' Game 2 victory. After he re-entered the game and showed symptoms, the Cavs removed Love for good and diagnosed him with a concussion.

History was repeating itself.

Love had already missed the entire 2015 NBA Finals with a separated shoulder suffered in the first round of the playoffs, and he was in danger of again being sidelined. Although heading back to Cleveland, the Cavs were in a 0-2 hole, even worse than the 1-1 split they had come out of Oakland with a year ago.

With Love officially ruled out for Game 3, the Cavs turned to 35-year-old Richard Jefferson to start in his place.

The 6'7" forward allowed Cleveland to play smaller and faster, beating Golden State at its own game. The Cavs opened up a 20-point first-quarter lead and never looked back, winning 120-90 as Jefferson finished with nine points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor.

Rather than allowing his team to experience a crushing 0-3 deficit, Jefferson came up big when the Cavs needed him most and helped save the series.

          

Dahntay Jones Keeps Cavs' Momentum in Game 6

Near halftime of Game 6, the Cavaliers held a 54-38 lead over the Warriors when Jefferson fouled Klay Thompson, drawing his third whistle of the game.

Jefferson had already started two games in the series for a concussed Love. Now, with Love back, he was the team's most important reserve. Cleveland was down to the end of its bench and was forced to put in veteran Dahntay Jones.

Jones had spent most of the season in what was then known as the D League, signing with the Cavaliers as a veteran presence at the end of the year for a postseason boost. Just weeks after playing for the Grand Rapids Drive, Jones was sharing the floor with James and Curry in the NBA Finals.

Golden State went on a mini 5-0 run to cut Cleveland's lead to 11 before Jones stole the momentum back.

He caught a pass from James while cutting to the basket, finishing through a foul by Draymond Green and capping off the and-1. Seconds later, he drew a second foul on Green when both went for a loose ball, giving the Warriors' All-Star power forward his third foul of the half and going back to the line for a pair of free throws.

In 11 seconds of play, Jones scored five points and drew two fouls on Green. Cleveland stretched its lead back to 16 and went on to win Game 6, 115-101.

             

Iman Shumpert Makes Cavs' First Three-Pointer of Game 7 with Four-Point Play

After hitting 32 three-pointers in their first three wins of the series, the Cavaliers were ice-cold from deep in Game 7. Nearly 17 minutes into the game, they still hadn't made a triple, starting 0-of-8 from the outside.

Iman Shumpert made sure the Cavaliers' ninth attempt counted.

Getting a rifle pass from James on the right wing, Shumpert knocked down Cleveland's first three-pointer of the game while getting fouled by Shaun Livingston. The ensuing free throw made it a four-point play for the swingman, turning the Cavaliers' 29-27 deficit into a 31-29 lead.

His huge triple helped break the glass on the Cavs' outside shooting, and they went 6-of-17 from three (35.3 percent) the rest of the way after that 0-of-8 start.

Tyronn Lue Calls Out LeBron

At halftime of Game 7, LeBron James had played nearly 23 of the 24 possible minutes, putting up 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists, a steal and two blocks. No other Cavalier had scored in double figures, and only JR Smith had recorded more than a single assist. The Cavs trailed the Warriors 49-42, their epic Finals comeback very much in doubt.

Though James was doing everything for Cleveland, head coach Tyronn Lue thought he wasn't doing enough.

What transpired was a heated discussion between star player and coach, during which Lue demanded more out of James. As detailed by Joe Vardon of The Athletic:

"Rather than show film at halftime, Lue went at LeBron. 'You gotta guard Draymond Green, stop turning the ball over, be aggressive, shoot the ball, be aggressive,' Lue said. 'And I walked into the coach's office. And this is what everybody told me. He grabbed [Damon Jones] and said, "Man, your boy's trippin." And D. Jones said, "I've been in the G League, I haven't been here all year, but everything I read in the paper about how much you trust T. Lue, how much you love T. Lue as a coach, why not trust him now?"'

"Lue continued, saying LeBron said to Jones, 'F--k that' and was ready to storm out. But before LeBron left, he found teammate James Jones and logged the same complaint to him. 'Well, 'Bron, is he lying?' James Jones said, according to Lue. 'F--k you, too,' LeBron yelled back.

"'And then he went out and dominated the second half,' Lue said. 'After the game, 'Bron said to me, "You know how to push my buttons, don't you?"'"

After Lue challenged James and the four-time MVP sought advice from longtime NBA veterans like Damon Jones and James Jones, Cleveland and the four-time MVP responded.

The Cavs outscored the Warriors 51-40 in the second half at Oracle Arena, and James recorded 15 points, four rebounds, six assists, a steal, a block and only one turnover.

Lue getting the absolute best out of James the way he did was risky, but it worked.

           

JR Smith's Big Threes, Key Defense Saves Game 7

Smith was the third-leading scorer for the Cavaliers during the 2016 Finals, behind only James and Irving, and he played brilliant defense at times against Curry and Thompson.

At no point were his shooting and defense needed more than in the second half of Game 7.

Trailing the Warriors 49-42 at halftime, the Cavaliers needed a big third quarter to stay in the game. Golden State was capable of going on incredible runs in short periods of time, and momentum was shifting toward another such run in the third.

After a couple of jumpers by Smith and Tristan Thompson cut the Warriors' lead to three, Thompson scored the game's next five points and pushed Golden State out to a 54-46 advantage. Just minutes into the second half, Cleveland's halftime deficit had only grown larger.

When the Cavs needed a spark more than ever, Smith caught fire.

After drilling a three-pointer with Green right in his face, Smith hit a second three-pointer less than a minute later to cut the Warriors' lead to just two. An Irving layup tied the contest, stopping Golden State from potentially blowing the game open.

On defense, Smith's biggest contribution won't ever show up as a stat on any box score, but it helped lead to one of the most famous plays in Finals history.

Following a rebound by Andre Iguodala, the Warriors started a fastbreak with only Smith between Iguodala, Curry and the basket.

While backpedaling, Smith centered himself between the two, switching his attention first to Curry before a pass back to Iguodala in the paint. He quickly had to turn his whole body around to contest Iguodala's layup long enough to make him bring the ball down, which allowed James to catch up in transition.

If Smith hadn't gotten his body around in time to defend Iguodala without fouling, James' block probably never would have happened, and the Warriors would have taken a late-game lead.

Despite some unhappiness on the court early in the season, Kevin Love's time with the Cleveland Cavaliers may not be coming to an end soon. 

Per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavs "see plenty of value" in keeping Love, but they consider a "fair offer" some combination of draft picks and young players. 

There were rumors leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline that the Cavaliers were receiving offers for Love. 

In a Feb. 20 chat with fans, The Athletic's Jason Lloyd reported the Portland Trail Blazers offered the expiring contracts of Hassan Whiteside and Kent Bazemore to Cleveland for Love. 

Per Joe Vardon and Shams Charania of The Athletic, Love had an "emotional verbal outburst...expressing his displeasure and disgust with the organization" to general manager Koby Altman in January. 

Love seemed to settle in after J.B. Bickerstaff replaced John Beilein as head coach on Feb. 19. Bickerstaff told Joe Gabrielle of Cavs.com that Love told him, "I'm going to fight for you."

The Cavs still owe Love more than $91.46 million over the next three seasons as part of the four-year extension he signed in July 2018. The five-time All-Star finished this season ranked second on the team in scoring (17.6 points per game) and rebounding (9.8). 

Cleveland wasn't included among the 22 teams invited to Orlando, Florida, as part of the NBA season restart in July. The team finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 19-46 record, worst in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love will receive the Arthur Ashe Courage Award during this year's ESPY Awards broadcast on Sunday, according to USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt.

In March 2018, Love penned an essay for The Players' Tribune titled "Everyone Is Going Through Something" about his personal experiences with stress and anxiety. Since then, he has been outspoken regarding issues of mental health and how to handle them.

"For me, I was done suffering," Love said to Zillgitt. "I was done compartmentalizing and putting it away. I wanted to reveal some things and heal it. As long as you can help just that one kid, it's going to make all the difference."

ESPN created the Arthur Ashe Courage Award as a way to "[pay] tribute to those who find ways through sports to make a difference far beyond the field of play and impact the world in indelible ways."

Hall of Famer Bill Russell, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Pat and Kevin Tillman, and Dean Smith are among some of the previous winners.

Love told Zillgitt he's "incredibly humbled" to be the newest recipient and that "it's a really profound honor."

In addition to his work raising awareness about mental health, Love donated $100,000 in March to Quicken Loans Arena employees shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic suspended the 2019-20 NBA season. He also explained to ESPN's Jackie MacMullan in May the pandemic has further underscored the need for people to take proper care of themselves beyond just their physical wellbeing.

With the NBA tentatively planning to take 22 teams to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, to restart the 2019-20 season, the Cavaliers' year is over. Love made 56 appearances, averaging 17.6 points and 9.8 rebounds in 56 games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced they will recognize Juneteenth as a paid holiday for their employees starting Friday.

Effective this Friday, June 19th, #JuneteenthDay will be observed as an annual paid holiday for our entire organization.

We encourage everyone to use this day to learn more about freedom for all, the fight for equality, and the struggle to end racial injustice. pic.twitter.com/VZbHFsg207

— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) June 15, 2020

Last week, the NFL took the step to formally acknowledge Juneteenth as a company-wide holiday, and the Denver Broncos followed suit Monday.  

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on Jan. 1, 1863, but the executive order didn't itself free the United States' slave population.

Not until June 19, 1865, did Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrive in Galveston, Texas, where news of the Emancipation Proclamation hadn't been widespread. Granger announced the terms of the order and the end of the Civil War, at which point the last remaining slaves were informed of their freedom.

The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was then ratified on Dec. 6, 1865.

The Congressional Research Service noted the first celebration of Juneteenth dates back to 1866:

"Texans celebrated Juneteenth beginning in 1866, with community-centric events, such as parades, cookouts, prayer gatherings, historical and cultural readings, and musical performances. Over time, communities have developed their own traditions. Some communities purchased land for Juneteenth celebrations, such as Emancipation Park in Houston, TX. As families emigrated from Texas to other parts of the United States, they carried the Juneteenth celebrations with them."

All but three states have officially recognized Juneteenth. Given the ongoing protests, which have drawn more attention toward the issues of systemic racism and social injustice, calls have grown for private employers to treat Juneteenth as a day of observance, as well.

With Tristan Thompson's contract expiring upon the conclusion of the 2019-20 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain interested in bringing the veteran center back, according to cleveland.com's Chris Fedor.

The interest might be mutual, with one source telling Fedor, "I believe there's a chance of him re-signing in free agency."

Once the trade deadline passed in February, the Cavs could've bought Thompson out of his contract, which would've allowed him to sign with a contending team. However, Fedor indicated he didn't want to lose his Bird rights ahead of free agency:

This is a HUGE reason why Thompson's camp would like to see him traded, hoping some team values his Bird rights and would re-sign him in the summer to a nice contract. Yes, there are other reasons why too. https://t.co/w1Oq3boB9a

— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) February 6, 2020

That allows the Cavaliers to go over the cap to re-sign Thompson. More importantly, Thompson could sign a market-level contract with Cleveland and then head out as part of a sign-and-trade.

As this year unfolded, the signs seemingly pointed to the end of a nine-year run with the team that selected him fourth overall in the 2011 draft. 

The Athletic's Joe Vardon reported in February that Thompson had been open to an extension with the Cavs before souring on the idea as Kevin Love's long-term commitment to the franchise began to wane. Two days after Vardon's report, Cleveland also acquired Andre Drummond, who has a $28.8 million player option for 2020-21. Per Fedor, Drummond opting in "remains most likely."

The financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is bound to have a significant impact on free agency, though. 

Thompson was enjoying a career year prior to the NBA suspending play because of the coronavirus. He averaged 12.0 points and 10.1 rebounds and even extended his range somewhat. He shot 9-of-23 from beyond the arc after having failed to make one three-pointer through his first eight seasons.

As much as he contributes inside and on the glass, the 29-year-old doesn't fit the profile for a coveted free agent in today's game. The pandemic makes his value even more difficult to gauge, so reuniting with Cleveland would be a sensible choice.

It's not just Michael Jordan trading cards that are having a moment in the auction arena.

On Tuesday night, LeBron James got in on the action.

According to Darren Rovell of the Action Network, a rookie card featuring James sold for $57,100 on eBay.

I love reporting on cards and memorabilia, but sometimes I just have to step back and think “how real could this be?”

This LeBron card sold on eBay tonight for $57,100.

The same card, in a black label pristine BGS, sold for $7,150 in 2016.

Can the market sustain all of this? pic.twitter.com/IyPpRPvJwR

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 10, 2020

What may be impossible to believe is that the same card sold for just $7,150 only four years ago.

The card itself is immaculate. Rated a pristine 10 by Beckett, the 2003-04 Topps Chrome shows James mid-jump shot early in his rookie season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers selected James with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. He spent his first seven seasons with the Cavs, carrying them to the Finals in 2007 only to get swept by the San Antonio Spurs.

After a four-year stint with the Miami Heat from 2010-11 to 2013-14, James returned to Cleveland, where he brought the franchise its first NBA title in 2016, rallying back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors and the league's unanimous MVP in Stephen Curry.

The card likely won't see its value continue to increase at the same rate it did over the last four years. If that does happen, however, James may be one of the few people on Earth who can even afford it.