23) World B. Free (1982-1986)

A rare bright spot in a horrendous era of Cavs history came in ’84-’85, when they made a surprise playoff appearance (after a 2-19 start) and almost pulled off a stunning first round upset over the defending champion Celtics, all thanks to Free. Free was the Cleveland’s leading scorer in all four seasons he played there and was near unstoppable in that series against Boston, averaging 26.3 points and 7.8 assists per game, and topping 30 points twice, something that only three other players in Cavs history have done since (LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Brad Daugherty). Though Free would play just one more season with the Cavs, a disappointing ’85-’86 campaign that ended with 53 losses, he re-injected much needed excitement into the Cleveland basketball world and his 23.0 points per game is second in Cavaliers career history behind James.

22) Chris Mills (1993-1997)

When their entire starting front court was unavailable due to injuries, the Cavaliers turned to Mills in the first round of the 1994 playoffs. The rookie forward responded, averaging 17.0 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while applying tough defense on Chicago’s Scottie Pippen. The otherwise shorthanded Cavs were swept by the Bulls but Mills’ performance earned him the starting small forward job when Larry Nance retired in the ensuing offseason. Mills was solid and consistent in that role but never quite reached the heights of his playoff debut. He averaged 13.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game over three seasons and helped the Cavaliers remain competitive after Nance, Mark Price, and Brad Daugherty’s departures. Mills left as a free agent in 1997 and eventually found another steady gig with the Warriors in the early ’00s.

21) Drew Gooden (2004-2008)

If there was one constant in Gooden’s career, it was flux. The fourth overall pick in 2002 was traded six times in his first eight years in the NBA and ultimately played for 10 franchises in 14 seasons. His longest stint came early in his career with the Cavaliers, lasting three-and-a-half seasons. Acquired from the Magic in 2004, Gooden had a golden opportunity in Cleveland, pairing with a young LeBron James as the starting forwards. The best statistical season of Gooden’s career came with the Cavaliers in ’04-’05, avearging 14.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, and he was third in scoring and rebounding on the ’06-’07 NBA Finals team. In one of their early desperation moves of the first LeBron era, the Cavs traded Gooden at the 2008 deadline as part of the package that returned Ben Wallace. It set up a three year stretch in which Gooden suited up for seven different franchises.

20) Tyrone Hill (1993-1997, 2001-2003)

A lottery pick disappointment early in his career with the Warriors, Hill reached his full potential upon returning to his home state (he grew up in Cincinnati) via trade in 1993. Coach Mike Fratello wisely deployed Hill as a sixth man at power forward and as an undersized starting center, and each role worked. Hill averaged 11.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game over the next four seasons, a stretch that also included his lone All-Star appearance in 1995. His 60.0% shooting from the field in ’96-’97 was also the second best mark in the NBA that year and stood as Cleveland’s single season record until ’21-’22. Hill’s time with the Cavs was also marked by injuries and in 1997 he was included in the trade that brought Shawn Kemp to Cleveland. He returned in 2001 after making an NBA Finals appearance with the 76ers, playing out two more mostly nondescript seasons with the Cavs.

19) Danny Ferry (1990-2000)

His time with the Cavaliers is considered a disappointment, so it’s easy to forget that Ferry spent enough time with the club to set the franchise record for games played with 723 (he’s still third on the list). There was a lot of hype when Ferry joined the Cavaliers in 1990 and he never lived up to it. The #2 overall pick in 1989, Ferry escaped to Italy to avoid playing for the Clippers and wound up in Cleveland in a controversial, blockbuster trade for Ron Harper. Ferry averaged 10+ points per game just twice in his career and four-plus rebounds per game just once, despite standing 6’10”, but he hung around for an entire decade with the Cavs until leaving as a free agent in 2000 (and soon after winning a title with the Spurs). Ferry returned to Cleveland in 2005 as general manager and made a series of questionable decisions that many blame for LeBron James’ 2010 free agency departure.

18) Jim Chones (1974-1979)

Chones clocks in as the first player on our list who was part of the famed ’75-’76 “Miracle on Richfield” Cavaliers team but his part of it was an unfortunate one. As the starting center, Chones was the leading scorer for the Cavaliers in the stirring Conference Semifinals upset of the Bullets. But he then broke his foot in a practice and missed the entire Conference Finals loss to the Celtics. Chones bounced back strong from that injury, ultimately averaging 14.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in his five seasons in Cleveland. In ’75-’76, he became the first Cavaliers player to finish in the top 10 in MVP voting and was the only one for over a decade. Though he was still in his prime heading into the ’79-’80 season, Chones was traded in a classic Ted Stepien move, exchanged for Dave Robisch and a third round pick to the Lakers, with whom he won a championship in 1980.

17) Craig Ehlo (1987-1993)

In the same season that the Cavaliers hired Lenny Wilkens as coach and added Mark Price and Brad Daugherty to the roster as rookies, they made an under-the-radar but crucial move by signing Ehlo. A third round pick of the Rockets, Ehlo was part of Houston’s ’85-’86 NBA Finals team but was waived just a few months later. When Price had appendectomy surgery in January of 1987, the Cavs signed Ehlo, first as a stopgap depth chart filler on a 10-day contract and soon after on a permanent basis. A versatile, oversized guard, Ehlo did a little bit of everything on the court for Cleveland, at his peak averaging 13.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in ’89-’90. His defense was especially renowned but also the cause of his most infamous moment, as the hapless victim of “The Shot,” Michael Jordan’s series clinching buzzer beater against the Cavaliers in the 1989 playoffs.

16) Campy Russell (1974-1980, 1984)

His college days may have taken place at arch rival Michigan but Russell remains one of the most popular players in Cleveland basketball history. Nicknamed “Mr. Moves” for his bevy of fake-outs and stutter steps, Russell averaged 16.1 points per game in his seven seasons with the Cavs and was named an All-Star in 1979. In 1978, he became the first player in Cavs history to score 30+ points in a playoff game, dropping 32 during a first round loss. In his first big move as Cavaliers owner, the tightfisted Ted Stepien essentially gave away Russell to the Knicks via trade in 1980. His career unfortunately stalled soon after due to a major knee injury and Russell returned briefly in ’84-’85 to retire as a Cavalier. Now a beloved television analyst for the Cavs, Russell was notably inducted into the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 but not yet in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

15) J.R. Smith (2015-2019)

Acquired via trade to provide long range shooting, play making, and a fearless attitude, Smith gave all that and more over the next three seasons. Maybe the best way to summarize Smith’s Cavaliers years are he giveth and he taketh away. On the taketh end was his defensive lapses, his backbreaking turnovers, and of course, his ultimate blunder, dribbling out the clock to end regulation in a tied game one of the 2018 NBA Finals. But Smith was also a clutch defender when called upon and hit numerous big shots in the playoffs. He also endeared himself to fans with his shirtless antics, celebrating that 2016 championship throughout the summer and fall in unique fashion, including at the World Series. One of four Cavaliers to play in four consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 to 2018, Smith also holds the franchise record for three-point field goals in a season, with 204 in ’15-’16.

14) Mo Williams (2008-2011, 2015-2016)

Only three Cavaliers played in the All-Star Game during the ’00s: LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Williams, who made the lone appearance of his career in 2009. Acquired by the Cavaliers in 2008, Williams was one of several players added during that era as desperate attempts to build on-the-fly contenders around James. While he didn’t exactly become the Scottie Pippen to James’ Michael Jordan, Williams was arguably the second best overall player on the Cavs for two seasons, averaging 16.9 points and 4.6 assists per game in ’08-’09 and ’09-’10. He endeared himself to Cleveland fans even more in the wake of James’ first departure, taking over as a vocal, passionate team leader in ’10-’11. After brief stints with the Clippers, Jazz, Blazers, T-Wolves, and Hornets, Williams returned to the Cavs in 2015 as a free agent, earning a championship with the team before retiring.

13) Bingo Smith (1970-1979)

As is usually the case, the expansion draft didn’t provide the Cavaliers with much in 1970. Of the 11 players selected by the Cavaliers, eight of them lasted one season or shorter with the team. But they did land Smith, who ultimately hung around for a decade in Cleveland, eventually becoming just the second player to have his jersey retired by the franchise. Smith thrived in the egalitarian Cleveland system, thanks largely to his long range shooting, an under-appreciated skill in the ’70s NBA. He never rounded into an All-Star level player or a leading scorer but did compile 9,513 points for the Cavs with his patented “rainbow shot,” placing him sixth in franchise history. Smith was also one of main heroes of the 1976 “Miracle at Richfield” postseason upset of the Bullets, hitting the winning shot in game two of that series.

12) Terrell Brandon (1991-1997)

In the wake of Mark Price and Brad Daugherty’s departures, the Cavaliers had a brief stretch of unlikely success thanks to Brandon. A lottery pick of the Cavs in 1991, Brandon spent his first four seasons on the bench apprenticing under Price before taking over in ’95-’96. In an era of increasingly dynamic and athletic point guards, Brandon was a bit of a throwback, an undersized (5’11”) Swiss army knife who could score (19.5 points per game in ’96-’97), make plays, defend, and even rebound. When the All-Star Game came to Cleveland in 1997, Brandon was the only Cavaliers player on the roster, making his second consecutive appearance. Traded to the Bucks in 1997, he put up several solid seasons in Milwaukee and Minnesota before being forced to retire at age 31 due to a knee injury. Brandon’s 2,235 assists are the fourth most in Cavaliers history and his 621 steals are fifth.

11) Anderson Varejao (2004-2016, 2021)

With his Sideshow Bob hair, constant motor, and rebounding and defensive prowess, Varejao was a fan favorite for his entire span with the Cavaliers. Cleveland fans appropriately bestowed him with the nickname “Wild Thing,” a moniker with a weighty status in the city’s sports history. In a perfect microcosm of his career, the Brazilian big man peaked in ’12-’13, averaging 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds per game. The latter stat would have led the league but he also missed 57 games due to a blood clot. So it usually went for Varejao, who also sat out the 2015 NBA Finals due to an Achilles’ injury. He then wound up on the other side in 2016, losing to his former teammates in the NBA Finals as a member of the Warriors (with whom he did earn a ring in 2017). Varejao returned briefly in 2021 to retire with the Cavs and is top 10 in franchise history in rebounds, blocks, and steals.

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A timeline of Cavaliers franchise history

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10) Austin Carr (1971-1980)

When the Cavaliers finished 15-67 in their inaugural season, there was one silver lining. Landing the top pick in the 1971 NBA Draft meant they could draft Carr, who still holds the NCAA Tournament record with 61 points in a single game. The Notre Dame grad lived up to the hype initially, averaging 21.2 points per game game in his first three seasons and making an All-Star appearance in 1974. But a foot surgery during his rookie season caused lingering effects for Carr, and were soon compounded by knee issues, leaving him as a shell of his former self by age 26. Cleveland fans continued to love Carr anyway, anointing him as “Mr. Cavalier.” Now a longtime beloved television broadcaster for the Cavs, Carr remains fourth in scoring in franchise history, is top 10 games played and assists, and in 1981 his jersey #34 was retired (and later stolen in a still unsolved mystery).

9) Hot Rod Williams (1986-1995)

One of three Cavaliers named 1st-Team All-Rookie in ’86-’87, Williams averaged 14.6 points and 7.9 rebounds in his first season. That would turn out to be the only major solo accolade of his career but Williams was a beloved fixture amongst Cleveland fans for his consistency and workmanlike approach over a decade with the franchise. When All-Star teammates were missing extended time with an injury, it was Williams stepping up with his post scoring, his rebounding, his defense, and his willingness to vacillate between the starting lineup and a sixth man role. In his nine seasons with the Cavaliers, Williams set the franchise record for total blocks (he’s now second) and is still in the top 10 in points, rebounds, steals, and defensive win shares. According to our metrics, he’s the greatest all-time non-active Cavaliers player without a retired jersey.

8) Tristan Thompson (2011-2020)

He recently courted controversy and some mockery for suggesting the Cavaliers should retire his #13 jersey but according to our metrics, maybe Thompson had a point? Also, we’re talking about a team that retired the number of Nate Thurmond after just two seasons in Cleveland. A reliable rebounder and defender, Thompson was a cornerstone of the teams that reached four consecutive NBA Finals starting in 2015. He was second in rebounding and fifth in scoring on the ’15-’16 championship team, while providing crucial defense in the NBA Finals on Draymond Green. By the time he left as a free agent in 2020, Thompson was third in franchise history in total rebounds and sixth in blocks. He was also one of the most tabloid ready athletes in Cleveland sports history, with a high profile relationship (and subsequent messy break-up) with Khloe Kardashian.

7) Larry Nance (1988-1994)

No one in Cleveland regrets the 1987 trade for Nance, who was a core component of the Cavs lineup for the next few seasons, averaging 16.8 points per game, making two All-Star Games, and getting named All-Defensive three times. But the trade is still controversial, as the centerpiece of the package in return to the Suns was a then rookie Kevin Johnson. Nance was third in scoring and second in rebounding on the ’91-’92 Cavaliers team that reached the Conference Finals and is top 10 in franchise history in points, rebounds, blocks, PER, and win shares. The Cavs raised his #22 jersey to the rafters almost immediately after he retired but brought it back down in 2018, when they traded for his son, Larry, Jr., who wore the number in Cleveland for three-and-a-half seasons (with permission from dad, of course).

6) Zydrunas Ilgauskas (1996-2010)

He came from a distant land, was never a superstar, and never won a championship in Cleveland, but Cavaliers fans will forever love the Lithuanian they affectionately call “Z.” Ilgauskas was there for one of the franchise’s all-time low points, the 17-65 season in ’02-’03, and some of the all-time highs, like the surprise NBA Finals appearance in 2007. No matter what was going on with the team overall, Ilgauskas was a model of consistency, averaging 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over a six year prime before various foot injuries began to waylay him. Between 1998 and 2003, Ilgauskas was Cleveland’s lone All-Star, making an appearance in 2003 and then again alongside LeBron James in 2005. Ilgauskas is still the all-time franchise leader in blocks and is top five in points, rebounds, field goals, win shares, and games played.

5) Kyrie Irving (2011-2017)

Things obviously didn’t end well between Irving and the fans of Cleveland but we’re here to honor his time with the Cavaliers not bemoan his terms of departure. Irving is just the second Cavs player to earn Rookie of the Year and was the team’s first post-LeBron James All-Star in 2013, his first of four appearances representing the Cavs. When James returned, Irving’s scoring averaged actually increased, eventually peaking at 25.2 points per game in ’16-’17. He missed almost the entire 2015 NBA Finals with a knee injury but made a conquering return the next year. Irving and James became the first teammates ever to both score 40+ in a Finals game in game six against the Warriors in 2016, then he hit the series winner in game seven, a clutch, last minute, go-ahead three-pointer that Cleveland fans dubbed “The Shot.” Though he played just six seasons with the Cavs, Irving is still top 10 in franchise history in points, assists, steals, and three-point field goals.

4) Kevin Love (2014-2022)

Who would have though that Love would endure years later as the lingering memory of the Cavaliers’ 2016 championship? After six seasons with the Timberwolves, Love arrived to Cleveland in 2014, acquired via trade in the wake of LeBron James’ return. A linchpin of the offense in Minnesota, Love had to adjust his game with the Cavs, sacrificing his scoring and play making in a tertiary role. There were ups and downs in the first two years, with some untimely injuries and near constant trade rumors, but Love was an invaluable contributor to the 2016 title run. When James joined the Lakers in 2018, both Love and Cleveland made a surprising decision: agreeing to a large scale, long-term contract to keep the then 30-year-old in town indefinitely. He’s certainly continued to struggle with injuries and now aging but his leadership endures. Love is second behind James in franchise career three-point field goals and recently moved into the top 10 in points and rebounds.

3) Mark Price (1986-1995)

LeBron James may have passed him as the all-time franchise leader in assists and steals but Price stands alone as the only Cavaliers member of the 50/40/90 club. In ’88-’89, Price shot 52.6% from the field, 44.1% from three-point range, and 90.1% from the free throw line, becoming just the second player ever to achieve a 50/40/90 season (following Larry Bird). Price also made his first of four All-Star appearances that season, became the first Cavalier ever named to an All-NBA team (3rd-Team) and led the Cavs to the #3 seed in the East. Unfortunately, as was so often the case, they ran into Michael Jordan and the Bulls in the postseason and that was that. In fact, in his eight seasons as Cleveland’s starting point guard, Price made seven playoff appearances, five of which ended with a loss to the Bulls, including the 1992 Conference Finals. Beloved by fans for his leadership, ball handling skills, and intensity, Price is still second in franchise history in both assists and steals behind James.

2) Brad Daugherty (1986-1994)

Pretty impressive placing for Daugherty, a guy who suffered from back issues his entire career and wound up playing his last game at age 28. Though maybe it says more about the Cavaliers franchise history than it does about Daugherty that he’s #2 here. A #1 overall pick of the Cavs in 1986, Daugherty came in with high expectations and was a near instant star. Starting in his second season, ’87-’88, Daugherty averaged 19.5 points and 9.8 rebounds for the remainder of his career, was named to five All-Star Games (the first Cavaliers player ever to do so), and gathered a reputation as one of the league’s best centers. He also suffered a major back injury in ’89-’90 that hampered him the rest of his playing days, causing him to eventually retire after two years of inactivity. Daugherty stepped down as the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in franchise history, though he’s since been bumped to third and fourth, respectively, in those categories. He’s also top 10 in assists.

1) LeBron James (2003-2010, 2014-2018)

Consider this: James has been named 1st-Team All-NBA as a Cavs player eight times. Over the franchise’s 52 year history, only one other time has a different player been 1st-Team All-NBA: Mark Price in ’90-’91. How about this? Before James the Cavaliers had four total playoff series victories. With James, they won 21 series, including the 2016 NBA Finals. Yes, there was no doubt who would sit atop this list. Bellyache all you want about his departures to greener pastures in Miami in 2010 and Los Angeles in 2018 but James is and always will be synonymous with Cleveland basketball. The “Kid from Akron” was an instant revelation when he joined the team out of high school in 2003, immediately transforming the moribund franchise into a consistent contender. Things ended on a sour note with “The Decision” in 2010 but James came back as the conquering hero in 2014, leading the Cavs to the only Cleveland major pro sports title of the last 58 years and counting. He’s the only MVP in team history, the only Finals MVP, the only scoring champion (’07-’08), the only player with six or more All-Star appearances (he has 10), and he annihilated the all-time franchise records in points, rebounds, assists, steals, field goals, three-point field goals, and free throws. All hail the king of Cleveland.