**NOTE: The news clips and articles listed don't necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of the Cleveland Cavaliers or their Basketball Operations staff, partners, or sponsors.**
#CavsRank: Channing Frye is the Cavs' 7th best player
Author: Justin Rowan
Publication: Fear the Sword
One of the most important moves last season was the addition of Channing Frye at the trade deadline. Not only did the move provide the Cavs with a stretch five to push net negative Timofey Mozgov to the bench throughout the playoffs, but he became an essential piece to the Cavs locker room culture.
The summer has been filled with stories of how Frye's blindness to team cliques caused the team to become closer off the court. He was a unifying force that was also there to provide emotional support to Kevin Love when he struggled in the Eastern Conference Finals. Love bounced back after a couple rough games and Frye did his part connecting on 58.3 percent of his threes in the Conference Finals. He even inspired J.R. Smith to take his shirt off after the Cavs won the title, a lifestyle choice that Smith is likely still following to this day.
But Frye isn't just a core part to the team off the court. With the departure of Mozgov, Frye will likely be the second string center to the Cavs heading into the 2016-2017 season. His presence allows for another level of spacing for the Cavs. Whether it be alongside Love, or in small ball lineups, the threat of Frye on the pick and pop creates plenty of space for the ball handler to operate and cutting lanes for the Cavs wings. - CLICK HERE to read full story.
#CavsRank: Richard Jefferson comes in at No. 8
Author: Trevor Magnotti
Publication: Fear the Sword
When Richard Jefferson signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers last summer, there were some mixed feelings among the fan base. On paper, the 35-year old looked like he could help; he was coming off a pretty productive season with the Dallas Mavericks, and with his size and solid three-point shooting, it was reasonable to think he’d be able to provide some quality minutes off the bench. However, we’d thought the same about Shawn Marion and Mike Miller in the summer of 2014, and both of those players worked out pretty poorly. That’s the risk of leaning on players in their mid-to-late 30s.
Jefferson assuaged those concerns better than anyone could have expected. He played 74 games, averaging 5.5 points and 1.7 rebounds per game off the bench, and he shot a solid 38.2 percent from the field. Simply by being healthy for a full season, he eclipsed the bar set by Miller and Marion.
However, he did so much more once the playoffs rolled around. Jefferson played in every playoff game for the Cavs, and posted similar numbers to his regular season output: 5.4 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, and 39.3 percent from three. He also had a few big moments for the team. He hit two threes in the Game 2 win over Atlanta. He helped the Cavs rally in Game 5 against Toronto, posting 11 points and six rebounds. And he was also a big player in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds in the blowout win. - CLICK HERE to read full story.
LeBron James attends Los Angeles Rams' home opener, gets greeted by 'Kobe' chants
Author: Chris Fedor
Publication: Cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Rams made their long-awaited return to Los Angeles on Sunday, with a special spectator for the home opener: LeBron James.
James, a well-known NFL fan and member of the Los Angeles community after buying a $21 million mansion in Brentwood last November, hung out on the sidelines before the game with his family and Rams owner Stan Kroenke while wearing the team's throwback colors, sporting a gold hat, white shirt and blue shorts.
James hanging out with Kroenke is certainly interesting, especially considering Kroenke had to unload his ownership of the Denver Nuggets to his wife and son due to conflict of interest as owner of an NBA team along with NFL and NHL (Colorado Avalanche) clubs. - CLICK HERE to read full story.