Top 20 Cavaliers
I will be breaking down my top 20 Cleveland Cavalier players of all time. The Cavs have had 54 seasons starting in 1970-71.
20. Jarrett Allen
Allen has played 4 seasons with the Cavs so far with career averages of 14.6 PPG, 1.9 APG, and 10.1 RPG. He so far is a 1x NBA All-Star. Allen is a very gifted all-around center, and very underrated so far in his Cavs tenure. What holds him back is playoff success he's been there once and did not play well at all if he can get back to the playoffs again and perform better than his last performance he could go up some spots.
19. Mo Williams
Mo played 4 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 14.8 PPG, 4.6 APG, and 2.9 RPG. He was a 1x NBA All-Star and a 1x NBA Champ. While he wasn't super important during the Cav's first Championship he was still a very important player for the other Cav teams he was a part of. Had he been a bigger part of the Cavs championship team he could go higher.
18. Darius Garland
Garland has played 5 seasons with the Cavs so far with career averages of 18.7 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 2.6 RPG. He is a 1x NBA All-Star so far. Even though he's still young Garland has already shown he is one of the better PG's in the NBA. I can't put him any higher because he's only been in the playoffs once and has very few accolades, but in a couple of years, he could up a few more spots easily if he keeps up the great play.
17. Shawn Kemp
Kemp played 3 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 18.5 PPG, 2.1 APG, and 9.1 RPG. He was a 1x NBA All-Star. Kemp was a great scorer having his best scoring season with the Cavs being 20.5 PPG. He was also a great rebounder and all-around defender. Had Shawn played a little longer and had better playoff success he could go higher.
16. Ron Harper
Ron played 4 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 19.4 PPG, 5.1 APG, and 4.7 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member, and arguably Rookie of the Year. While Ron has no All-Star appearances he definitely should have been there he was a great scorer averaging 23 PPG in his rookie season, and he was also an outstanding defender with career averages of 2.3 SPG, and 1 BPG. The reason I have Ron over Garland, and Kemp is because he was a way better defender than Garland is currently, and Kemp, his BPM (Box Plus Minus) and VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) are so much higher than Garlands, and Kemps.
15. Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell has played 2 seasons for the Cavs so far with career averages of 28.0 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 4.5 RPG. So far he is 1x NBA All-Star (on his way to making his second All-Star appearance with the Cavs), and a 1x All-NBA Team member. Mitchell is a crazy good scorer and a really good rebounder for a 6'3" SG. I have him this high because in his first season with the Cavs led his team to the playoffs for the first time since Lebron left the Cavaliers. While his efficiency went down a little bit when they made the playoffs he was still very good and will more than likely perform way better assuming they make the playoffs again.
14. Bingo Smith
Bingo played 10 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 13.2 PPG, 2.2 APG, and 4.2 RPG. While he has no accolades, he is one of the few Cavalier players who have their jersey retired, showing just how important and loyal he was to this franchise. Had he played better in the playoffs or had some accolades he could go higher, but I respect him playing 10 years in Cleveland, so he deserves to be up this high.
13. Jim Chones
Jim played 5 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 14.3 PPG, 1.8 APG, and 9.5 RPG. While he doesn't have any accolades either he was a really good playoff performer and while it didn't get them anywhere it wasn't his fault. Had he had accolades or gone to a finals I could have put him higher.
12. Austin Carr
Austin played 9 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 16.2 PPG, 2.9 APG, and 3.0 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member and a 1x NBA All-Star. Austin was a great scorer during his time with the Cavs, but with little to no playoff success, it's difficult for me to put him any higher than this.
11. Campy Russell
Campy played 7 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 16.1 PPG, 2.8 APG, and 5.1 RPG. He was a 1x NBA All-Star. Campy was a very good scorer and rebounder. I have him just slightly over Austin because he was a way better playoff performer, and was also just a better all-around player than Austin.
10. Hot Rod Williams
Williams played 9 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 12.9 PPG, 2.1 APG, and 7.1 RPG. He was only an All-Rookie Team member, but he was a lot more than that to Cavalier fans back in the mid-80s to mid-90s. While his stats don't show much he was a very important piece to his team helping them make the Eastern Conference Finals. The reason I have Williams over Austin, and Campy is because Williams VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) was way higher than Austins and Campy, and Williams played a lot more playoff games than the both of them.
9. World B. Free
Free played 4 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 23.0 PPG, 3.9 APG, and 2.9 RPG. While he had no accolades during his time he was a very underrated SG had he been on a better team he could have been an All-Star every season he was with the Cavs. Free was a player way ahead of his time being one of the first NBA players that would shoot lots of threes and was very efficient shooting 38% from three during his stint with the Cavs. The reason I can't put him any higher is because he made the playoffs only once and lost in 4 to the Celtics.
8. Terrell Brandon
Terrell played 6 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 12.7 PPG, 4.9 APG, and 2.7 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member and a 2x NBA All-Star. While his stats aren't crazy it's mainly because of his first 3 seasons averaging less than 10 PPG, after that he got better every season with his best season averaging 19.5 PPG and 6.5 APG. I have Terell over Free because Terell played a lot more playoff games and had better success. Terell also had a higher WS (Win Shares) than Free.
7. Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Big Z played 12 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 13.8 PPG, 1.2 APG, and 7.7 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member and a 2x NBA All-Star. Big Z's loyalty, and longevity (despite multiple injuries), and class made him a fan favorite and a pillar for the Cavaliers organization during some tough times. He was a great scorer from the mid-range and also able to make a three occasionally towards the end of his career. I couldn't put him higher because I feel like the players above him are just better basketball players, but had he had one ring he could go a little higher.
6. Kevin Love
Kevin played 9 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 15.7 PPG, 2.2 APG, and 9.2 RPG. He was a 2x NBA All-Star and a 1x Champion. Kevin was the third most important player on the Cavalier team that won the championship and without him, there would be no chance the Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors. Kevin was a very gifted offensive player and a solid defender. Had he made some more All-Star appearances I would put him higher.
5. Larry Nance
Nance played 7 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 17.1 PPG, 2.7 APG, and 8.4 RPG. He was a 2x NBA All-Star and a 3x All-Defensive Team member. Nance is one of the most gifted defenders being very good toward the perimeter and in the post averaging nearly 1 SPG, and averaging a shocking 2.5 BPG. Nance was also a really good scorer with his only weakness being from three. I have Nance over Kevin because even though Nance never won a ring Nance's advanced statistics show he was more valuable especially when it came to WS (Win Shares).
4. Brad Daugherty
Brad was a Cavalier lifer playing all 8 seasons with the Cavs with career averages of 19.0 PPG, 3.7 APG, and 9.5 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member, a 5x NBA All-Star, and a 1x All-NBA Team member. Brad was the anchor for almost a decade with his dominant inside presence offensively and defensively while also being a great passer. Brad's impact on the Cavaliers can't be understated, and his early retirement due to multiple injuries is one of the biggest "what ifs" in Cavs history. Had he played longer I could put him higher but he has tough competition ahead of him.
3. Mark Price
Price played 9 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 16.4 PPG, 7.2 APG, and 2.6 RPG. He was a 4x NBA All-Star and a 4x All-NBA Team member. Price is one of the most efficient NBA players of all time leading the NBA in FT percentage 3x with his best season being 95% on 4 attempts. He is also one of the few players that are in the 50-40-90 club. While he never led the league in APG he was also up there averaging over 10 a game for his best season.
2. Kyrie Irving
Kyrie played 6 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 21.6 PPG, 5.5 APG, and 3.4 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member, a Rookie of the Year, a 4x NBA All-Star, 1x All-Star game MVP, a 1x All-NBA Team member, and a 1x NBA Champion. Kyrie is one of the best ball-handlers in NBA history, and a very good scorer. He was one of if not most important players for the 2016 Cavs sealing the game with a game-winning three-pointer in Game 7 vs the Warriors. While his stint was short lived he will always be one of the best Cavaliers of all time.
1. Lebron James
James played 11 seasons for the Cavs with career averages of 27.2 PPG, 7.3 APG, and 7.3 RPG. He was an All-Rookie Team member, a Rookie of the Year, a 1x Scoring Champ, a 10x NBA All-Star, a 2x All-Star MVP, a 2x All-Defensive Team member, a 10x All-NBA Team member, a 2x NBA MVP, a 1x NBA Champion, and a 1x Finals MVP. Lebron is one of the greatest NBA players of all time with zero debate because he has little to no weaknesses offensively and defensively. I feel like I don't have to make a case here he is the best Cavalier and is probably one the first thing you think of when you think of the Cavaliers is Lebron James.
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