The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to get LeBron James through a series of moves that started after he left for the Miami Heat.
LeBron James will forever be synonymous with the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. When James entered the NBA, he got the chance to play for his hometown franchise, which selected him with the #1 pick in 2003.
His first stint with the Cavaliers was both successful and disappointing. James quickly rose to prominence, becoming a multiple-time All-Star and All-NBA player.
He even took the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007. After getting swept by the San Antonio Spurs, James would receive a prediction from Tim Duncan that would change his career.
Just a few years later, frustrated with the Cavaliers, James would announce his decision to join the Miami Heat.
But by joining the Heat, LeBron James helped set the stage for his eventual return to the Cavaliers in 2014.
Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty ImagesCleveland Cavaliers’ sign-and-trade for LeBron James helped get them assets
In 2010, the Cleveland Cavaliers saw LeBron James leave them for the Miami Heat. But Brian Windhorst recently looked back on the move and reminded fans how it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
After the initial shock and anger, the Cavaliers worked with the Miami Heat on a sign-and-trade. The Cavs would get two of Miami’s first-round picks in the deal, one of which they used to land Kevin Love in a 2014 trade, which helped them convince LeBron to return.
“When the Cleveland Cavaliers got LeBron James back, they got him back the next day.
“What nobody remembers is after that Dan Gilbert letter, which was on fire, literally, Dan Gilbert and Chris Grant, the general manager, came together and did a sign and trade.
“They actually traded to Miami, got over that emotion, and they got assets back that helped the Cavs later on, build the team.
“Those assets were used to trade for Kevin Love. The Decision, there was a lot of things that happened that night, both on LeBron’s side, and the Cavs side, that ended up being very important years later.”
Cleveland Cavaliers’ sign-and-trade set stage for 2016 NBA championship
By landing the two first-round picks from the Miami Heat, the Cleveland Cavaliers inadvertently set the stage for their 2016 NBA championship.
They used that pick in their three-team trade to land Kevin Love. Adding Love helped form a big three in Cleveland with James and Kyrie Irving.
While they fell at the final hurdle in their first season, the trio would help bring the Cavaliers their first NBA championship, completing a miraculous 3-1 comeback in the 2016 NBA Finals.
What once felt like a disaster for the Cavaliers in 2010 turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as it allowed their franchise to etch their name in the history books.