Basketball fans throughout the country--maybe even the world--watched as LeBron James announced his decision to play in South Beach and sign with the Miami Heat. He will be joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on what could turn into an old school dominant team--the type of team with multiple legendary players that more commonly existed before modern day mega contracts, free agency, and league expansion.
Fans across the country know about the 'bad luck' of Cleveland sports as well as the struggles of an industrial city. "The Decision" becomes the next misfortune amongst Cleveland sports tragedies. The other "The ____" moments in Cleveland Cavaliers history happened at the hands of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Otherwise, Cleveland is a football city first and a baseball city second. Historically, Cleveland professional basketball ranks third. The Browns can finish 2-14 and sell out all 8 of their home games. While the Indians cannot say the same about ticket sales, people still tend to know a little bit about what is going on with the team. The Cavs, on the other hand, are constantly forgotten. It is arguable that high school basketball matters more to the majority of Greater Clevelanders--this was the case before LeBron even set foot on the St. Vincent-St. Mary varsity basketball court. Before LeBron, the average Clevelander last cheered the Cavs on when Mark Price was there, or maybe Terrell Brandon, or if stretching it, maybe Shawn Kemp.
There have been three 'great' eras in Cavalier basketball history. Every era of success was born with a #1 overall draft pick. "The Miracle of Richfield" team was made possible in part to Austin Carr, who was the #1 pick of the 1971 NBA Draft. The team made its best run in 1976, when it defeated the Washington Bullets (who would win the NBA Championship in 1978) in an unforgettable 7-game series. Bobby "Bingo" Smith made the game-winning shot in Game 2, while Dick Snyder made the game-winning shot in Game 7. Hall of Famer Nate Thurmond was a key acquisition during the season, while the center he backed up--Jim Chones--brought hope to a team looking to get through the Boston Celtics en route to its first NBA Championship until he broke his foot in practice during the 1976 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavaliers had a bit of a spark with young Coach George Karl and flashy veteran World B. Free in 1984-1985, overcoming a 2-19 season to make the 1985 NBA Playoffs and fiercely challenge the defending champion Boston Celtics in a competitive first round series. However, it was the trade of Roy Hinson to the Philadelphia 76ers for the #1 pick in the 1986 NBA Draft that started a second 'great' era for Cleveland Cavalier basketball. With the #1 pick, the Cavaliers selected Brad Daugherty. They paired him with John "Hot Rod" Williams (1985 NBA Draft pick and out for that season due to NCAA point-shaving allegations), Ron Harper (an Ohioan and #8 1986 pick), and Mark Price (#25 1986 pick of Dallas, acquired by trade). Kevin Johnson (1987 NBA Draft pick) was traded in order to bring in Larry Nance, and the "Hard Workin' Town" Cleveland, "Hard Workin' Team" Cavaliers were solidified. The Cavs became good as the Browns had Kosar, Newsome, Matthews, Dixon, Minnifield, and company and the Indians had Carter, Snyder, Jacoby, Candiotti, Swindell, and company. They found themselves in conversations at similar levels to the Browns and Indians despite being in a football first, baseball second, basketball third kind of city.
However, the second Cavs era came at the same time as Bird's Celtics, the "Bad Boy" Pistons, and Michael Jordan's Bulls in the NBA's Eastern Conference. A couple game-winners by Jordan, with a trade of Harper and several injuries (especially to Daugherty) in between, prevented Coach Lenny Wilkens and the Cleveland Cavaliers from winning their first NBA Championship. Magic Johnson's declaration of the Cavs as "the team of the '90s" and Charles Barkley's similar respect of the team (not seen during 'the LeBron era') never resulted in an NBA Championship. 'The Curse of Ron Harper' on Richfield Coliseum was the equivalent of "The Curse of Rocky Colavito" and 'The Curse of Paul Brown' on Cleveland Municipal Stadium--there would be no championships won in either of these venues.
Mike Fratello came to town and did his best first with Price, then with Terrell Brandon, Tyrone Hill, and company, and then with Shawn Kemp, a young Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Bobby Sura, and a mix of veterans and rookies. The 1998 NBA Lockout hurt this team's chances of becoming more than a one-year success, as Z came back and broke his foot while "Reign Man" Kemp came back overweight and out of shape. Kemp's off-the-court struggles came to light via a Sports Illustrated article that aired out a lot of dirty laundry of NBA players. Ironically, Gordon Gund and Wayne Embry traded Ron Harper due to fear of potential problems (which never happened)--and got Kemp's bad baggage about 10 years later.
Competitive rebuilding under Jim Paxson, Randy Wittman, John Lucas, and Keith Smart brought consecutive losing seasons to Cleveland Cavalier basketball, including another game-winner by Michael Jordan (albeit with the Washington Wizards during the 2001-2002 NBA regular season) and the infamous "wrong rim" triple-double attempt of flashy swingman Ricky Davis. Before LeBron was drafted, Ricky Davis was the man, or at least he got more respect from the remaining Cavs fans, than a recuperating Zydrunas Ilgauskas did. However, this 'dark' era of Cavaliers basketball led to the Cavaliers' win of the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery--and, in turn, the #1 pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, budding prodigy LeBron James.
In this third 'great' era of Cavaliers basketball, Paul Silas gave two decent years as Head Coach, losing Carlos "Benedict" Boozer in the process. An arguably fluke of a trade brought Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao to Cleveland as worthy replacements. Then, once Mike Brown took over, the Cavaliers were ready to again be a championship contender. LeBron James won over the hearts--and wallets--of Clevelanders and basketball fans across the globe. Games started to sell out again, the Cavs put together a combination of veterans and young players, and the team made the playoffs the past 5 seasons. In fact, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the only team in the NBA to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs in each of the past 5 seasons. The Cavaliers lost in the 2007 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs and were eliminated by the 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics. The teams that eliminated them in 2009 and 2010--Orlando and Boston--both made the NBA Finals. Lastly, the Detroit Pistons team that eliminated the Cavs in 2006 won the 2004 NBA Championship, lost in the 2005 NBA Finals to the Spurs, and lost to the 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat. Regardless of how 'the LeBron era' ended, it was a revival of NBA basketball in Cleveland and a memorable run.
It is good to hear owner Dan Gilbert's optimism, but how long can he hold this franchise together? He is a businessman; the Cavaliers' profitability was linked directly to the presence of LeBron James. The emerging questions now concern the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. While Cleveland will struggle as a city, it still exists. In major professional sports, Cleveland still has the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Indians. As for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the loss of LeBron James, the return of apathy to the Cavs by the average Cleveland fans, and an almost inevitable 2011 NBA Lockout could mean no #1 draft pick to propel the Cavalier franchise back to the NBA Playoffs in Cleveland.
To LeBron James's critics in Cleveland, LeBron's value to this franchise is much more than they realize--his presence revived the franchise. Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, or Darko Milicic could have been drafted by Cleveland in 2003--especially if the team had lost the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery--but none would have brought the enthusiasm to Cleveland Cavalier basketball that LeBron James has brought. Would any of these players stayed, as LeBron did, for 7 years? Those people burning LeBron James jerseys right now--how many of them even cared about Cleveland basketball in 2003? In 2002? In 1996?
Some Clevelanders just do not care anymore. For other fans, who still do care: like it or not, this could be it for Cleveland professional basketball. With a lockout looming and apathy likely returning to the surface, owner Dan Gilbert could lose his optimism and sell the team. Or, he could keep the team and move to another city. Seattle lost its team recently, yet the city still has some interest in having another NBA team. Legendary player and coach Lenny Wilkens, who both played for and coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, also did both for the Seattle Supersonics. Perhaps he could emerge as an advocate for moving the Cavaliers to Seattle.
Then again, there is still hope with the current Cavalier roster. GM Chris Grant can make some trades or sign a few free agents in the next couple of years to help Coach Byron Scott lead the team back to the NBA Playoffs. On the other hand, if history does really repeat itself as the cliche says, then a #1 overall draft pick is needed to start up the fourth 'great' era of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball. In the case of the Seattle Supersonics, they got #2 overall draft pick Kevin Durant, then moved to Oklahoma City after his rookie season. So, while South Beach is not an option for the franchise, the thought of the "Seattle Cavaliers" is not unrealistic.
Will there be another 'great' era of Cavaliers NBA basketball? If so, when? And where??
Good luck in Miami, LeBron. Remember your roots, and maybe when you are 30 years old, you can come back to Cleveland as a free agent to finish the deed. While you now have Wade and Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, and Chris Paul, along with other Olympians, will not be with you in Miami. "The Decision" is what it is, or was--a process, an event, a semi-publicity stunt that showed your intrigue and value to the NBA and the overall sports world, as well as your marketing genius. But, "The Decision" is over. You are now away from home, outside of the protection that helped you make your ascent to stardom. Miami Heat fans will probably not be as lenient as Cleveland Cavaliers fans were when you made mistakes.
In an ideal world, you win the NBA Championship, and Cleveland also wins the NBA Championship. Then again, in an ideal world, the NBA Championship for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers is won "All Together". "One Goal." "Rise Up." "We Are All Witnesses." This is no longer the present. This is the past, and maybe this is in the future. But, until then, this third 'great' era of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball is over, with the timetable for a fourth 'great' era unknown.
Fans across the country know about the 'bad luck' of Cleveland sports as well as the struggles of an industrial city. "The Decision" becomes the next misfortune amongst Cleveland sports tragedies. The other "The ____" moments in Cleveland Cavaliers history happened at the hands of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Otherwise, Cleveland is a football city first and a baseball city second. Historically, Cleveland professional basketball ranks third. The Browns can finish 2-14 and sell out all 8 of their home games. While the Indians cannot say the same about ticket sales, people still tend to know a little bit about what is going on with the team. The Cavs, on the other hand, are constantly forgotten. It is arguable that high school basketball matters more to the majority of Greater Clevelanders--this was the case before LeBron even set foot on the St. Vincent-St. Mary varsity basketball court. Before LeBron, the average Clevelander last cheered the Cavs on when Mark Price was there, or maybe Terrell Brandon, or if stretching it, maybe Shawn Kemp.
There have been three 'great' eras in Cavalier basketball history. Every era of success was born with a #1 overall draft pick. "The Miracle of Richfield" team was made possible in part to Austin Carr, who was the #1 pick of the 1971 NBA Draft. The team made its best run in 1976, when it defeated the Washington Bullets (who would win the NBA Championship in 1978) in an unforgettable 7-game series. Bobby "Bingo" Smith made the game-winning shot in Game 2, while Dick Snyder made the game-winning shot in Game 7. Hall of Famer Nate Thurmond was a key acquisition during the season, while the center he backed up--Jim Chones--brought hope to a team looking to get through the Boston Celtics en route to its first NBA Championship until he broke his foot in practice during the 1976 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Cavaliers had a bit of a spark with young Coach George Karl and flashy veteran World B. Free in 1984-1985, overcoming a 2-19 season to make the 1985 NBA Playoffs and fiercely challenge the defending champion Boston Celtics in a competitive first round series. However, it was the trade of Roy Hinson to the Philadelphia 76ers for the #1 pick in the 1986 NBA Draft that started a second 'great' era for Cleveland Cavalier basketball. With the #1 pick, the Cavaliers selected Brad Daugherty. They paired him with John "Hot Rod" Williams (1985 NBA Draft pick and out for that season due to NCAA point-shaving allegations), Ron Harper (an Ohioan and #8 1986 pick), and Mark Price (#25 1986 pick of Dallas, acquired by trade). Kevin Johnson (1987 NBA Draft pick) was traded in order to bring in Larry Nance, and the "Hard Workin' Town" Cleveland, "Hard Workin' Team" Cavaliers were solidified. The Cavs became good as the Browns had Kosar, Newsome, Matthews, Dixon, Minnifield, and company and the Indians had Carter, Snyder, Jacoby, Candiotti, Swindell, and company. They found themselves in conversations at similar levels to the Browns and Indians despite being in a football first, baseball second, basketball third kind of city.
However, the second Cavs era came at the same time as Bird's Celtics, the "Bad Boy" Pistons, and Michael Jordan's Bulls in the NBA's Eastern Conference. A couple game-winners by Jordan, with a trade of Harper and several injuries (especially to Daugherty) in between, prevented Coach Lenny Wilkens and the Cleveland Cavaliers from winning their first NBA Championship. Magic Johnson's declaration of the Cavs as "the team of the '90s" and Charles Barkley's similar respect of the team (not seen during 'the LeBron era') never resulted in an NBA Championship. 'The Curse of Ron Harper' on Richfield Coliseum was the equivalent of "The Curse of Rocky Colavito" and 'The Curse of Paul Brown' on Cleveland Municipal Stadium--there would be no championships won in either of these venues.
Mike Fratello came to town and did his best first with Price, then with Terrell Brandon, Tyrone Hill, and company, and then with Shawn Kemp, a young Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Bobby Sura, and a mix of veterans and rookies. The 1998 NBA Lockout hurt this team's chances of becoming more than a one-year success, as Z came back and broke his foot while "Reign Man" Kemp came back overweight and out of shape. Kemp's off-the-court struggles came to light via a Sports Illustrated article that aired out a lot of dirty laundry of NBA players. Ironically, Gordon Gund and Wayne Embry traded Ron Harper due to fear of potential problems (which never happened)--and got Kemp's bad baggage about 10 years later.
Competitive rebuilding under Jim Paxson, Randy Wittman, John Lucas, and Keith Smart brought consecutive losing seasons to Cleveland Cavalier basketball, including another game-winner by Michael Jordan (albeit with the Washington Wizards during the 2001-2002 NBA regular season) and the infamous "wrong rim" triple-double attempt of flashy swingman Ricky Davis. Before LeBron was drafted, Ricky Davis was the man, or at least he got more respect from the remaining Cavs fans, than a recuperating Zydrunas Ilgauskas did. However, this 'dark' era of Cavaliers basketball led to the Cavaliers' win of the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery--and, in turn, the #1 pick of the 2003 NBA Draft, budding prodigy LeBron James.
In this third 'great' era of Cavaliers basketball, Paul Silas gave two decent years as Head Coach, losing Carlos "Benedict" Boozer in the process. An arguably fluke of a trade brought Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao to Cleveland as worthy replacements. Then, once Mike Brown took over, the Cavaliers were ready to again be a championship contender. LeBron James won over the hearts--and wallets--of Clevelanders and basketball fans across the globe. Games started to sell out again, the Cavs put together a combination of veterans and young players, and the team made the playoffs the past 5 seasons. In fact, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the only team in the NBA to advance to the second round of the NBA Playoffs in each of the past 5 seasons. The Cavaliers lost in the 2007 NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs and were eliminated by the 2008 NBA Champion Boston Celtics. The teams that eliminated them in 2009 and 2010--Orlando and Boston--both made the NBA Finals. Lastly, the Detroit Pistons team that eliminated the Cavs in 2006 won the 2004 NBA Championship, lost in the 2005 NBA Finals to the Spurs, and lost to the 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat. Regardless of how 'the LeBron era' ended, it was a revival of NBA basketball in Cleveland and a memorable run.
It is good to hear owner Dan Gilbert's optimism, but how long can he hold this franchise together? He is a businessman; the Cavaliers' profitability was linked directly to the presence of LeBron James. The emerging questions now concern the fate of the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. While Cleveland will struggle as a city, it still exists. In major professional sports, Cleveland still has the Cleveland Browns and the Cleveland Indians. As for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the loss of LeBron James, the return of apathy to the Cavs by the average Cleveland fans, and an almost inevitable 2011 NBA Lockout could mean no #1 draft pick to propel the Cavalier franchise back to the NBA Playoffs in Cleveland.
To LeBron James's critics in Cleveland, LeBron's value to this franchise is much more than they realize--his presence revived the franchise. Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Carmelo Anthony, or Darko Milicic could have been drafted by Cleveland in 2003--especially if the team had lost the 2003 NBA Draft Lottery--but none would have brought the enthusiasm to Cleveland Cavalier basketball that LeBron James has brought. Would any of these players stayed, as LeBron did, for 7 years? Those people burning LeBron James jerseys right now--how many of them even cared about Cleveland basketball in 2003? In 2002? In 1996?
Some Clevelanders just do not care anymore. For other fans, who still do care: like it or not, this could be it for Cleveland professional basketball. With a lockout looming and apathy likely returning to the surface, owner Dan Gilbert could lose his optimism and sell the team. Or, he could keep the team and move to another city. Seattle lost its team recently, yet the city still has some interest in having another NBA team. Legendary player and coach Lenny Wilkens, who both played for and coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, also did both for the Seattle Supersonics. Perhaps he could emerge as an advocate for moving the Cavaliers to Seattle.
Then again, there is still hope with the current Cavalier roster. GM Chris Grant can make some trades or sign a few free agents in the next couple of years to help Coach Byron Scott lead the team back to the NBA Playoffs. On the other hand, if history does really repeat itself as the cliche says, then a #1 overall draft pick is needed to start up the fourth 'great' era of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball. In the case of the Seattle Supersonics, they got #2 overall draft pick Kevin Durant, then moved to Oklahoma City after his rookie season. So, while South Beach is not an option for the franchise, the thought of the "Seattle Cavaliers" is not unrealistic.
Will there be another 'great' era of Cavaliers NBA basketball? If so, when? And where??
Good luck in Miami, LeBron. Remember your roots, and maybe when you are 30 years old, you can come back to Cleveland as a free agent to finish the deed. While you now have Wade and Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, and Chris Paul, along with other Olympians, will not be with you in Miami. "The Decision" is what it is, or was--a process, an event, a semi-publicity stunt that showed your intrigue and value to the NBA and the overall sports world, as well as your marketing genius. But, "The Decision" is over. You are now away from home, outside of the protection that helped you make your ascent to stardom. Miami Heat fans will probably not be as lenient as Cleveland Cavaliers fans were when you made mistakes.
In an ideal world, you win the NBA Championship, and Cleveland also wins the NBA Championship. Then again, in an ideal world, the NBA Championship for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers is won "All Together". "One Goal." "Rise Up." "We Are All Witnesses." This is no longer the present. This is the past, and maybe this is in the future. But, until then, this third 'great' era of Cleveland Cavaliers basketball is over, with the timetable for a fourth 'great' era unknown.