2015 Season Wrap-Up

clejgabriele

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Every summer, some top-line stars switch locales – and usually change the NBA’s landscape in the process. The Wine and Gold know a little bit about that – using a massive free agent acquisition and blockbuster trade to transform from a squad that missed the playoffs in four straight seasons to a true Championship contender for the foreseeable future.

The biggest free agent name to change addresses this summer will not have that effect on his new team. They’re already a Championship contender.

That name is four-time All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who bolted Portland after nine stellar seasons in the Pacific Northwest to sign with the Spurs this summer. The Spurs also inked free agent rugged forward two-time All-Star David West, who spent the last four years in Indiana. The new-look Pacers also dealt center Roy Hibbert to the Lakers as they look to transform from a plodding halfcourt team into something a little sportier. The addition of Monta Ellis, who spent the last two seasons in Dallas, should help.

The Mavericks, who had a dramatic summer they’d probably rather forget, inked former Net, Deron Williams – (and re-signed J.J. Barea) as they pick up the pieces from the Rajon Rondo Experiment. (Rondo signed with Sacramento this offseason.)  Another Texas team making a sizeable splash was Houston – which dealt for Ty Lawson, the third-leading assist man in the league last year. Lawson joins a backcourt that already contains James Harden, Patrick Beverley and Jason Terry.

Another Western Conference club that added some headliners to its already-interesting roster is the L.A. Clippers, who capped an already-odd summer by signing Paul Pierce and Josh Smith and trading for Lance Stephenson, who spent one underwhelming season in Charlotte. There aren’t many head coaches that can handle a cast of characters like the one that comprises the Clippers. Doc Rivers is one of them.

Things weren’t as dramatic in the Eastern Conference this summer. But the Milwaukee Bucks continued building a very nice young team, adding former Pistons big man, Greg Monroe – who was one of just ten players to average a double-double for the entire 2014-15 season.

North of the Border, the Raptors signed DeMarre Carroll away from Atlanta and Cory Joseph from the Spurs, but lost the reigning Sixth Man – Lou Williams – as a free agent to the Lakers.

For every big name that switched cities and affected the Association’s panorama, the list of players who stayed put is just as critical.

That breeze the country felt in early July was thousands of collective sighs of relief when the game’s greatest player, LeBron James, re-signed with the Wine and Gold after rejoining his hometown team last summer. Not long after, Kevin Love, who’s still rehabbing from left shoulder surgery, inked a long-term deal with Cleveland – putting the reigning Eastern Conference Champs directly back in the favorite’s seat when Training Camp tips off in just over two weeks.

Aside from Cleveland’s dynamic duo, the biggest name to re-sign with his current club is two-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year, Marc Gasol, who stayed with the Grizzlies.

Three Eastern Conference All-Stars who decided the grass wasn’t greener include Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, Brooklyn’s Brook Lopez and Chicago’s Jimmy Butler.

But no story could match the histrionics that took place in Texas and Southern California this summer – as DeAndre Jordan made an oral commitment to the Mavericks but was wooed away during the moratorium by his former squad. Jordan re-signed with the Clippers, leaving Chandler Parsons and Mark Cuban holding the bag.

San Antonio – often dubbed the “Patriots of the NBA” – don’t usually make major changes in the offseason, preferring to build patiently around their Big Three. But this year, Gregg Popovich’s squad went all-in – dropping the big bucks on LaMarcus Aldridge before signing David West to a cheap deal. The Spurs said goodbye to Tiago Splitter, Aron Baynes and Marco Bellinelli and brought in Ray McCallum Jr. and Jimmer Fredette – both in need of some career resuscitation. They came to the right place.

When the Spurs signed Aldridge, the Blazers began looking towards a rebuild – trading away Nicolas Batum and Steve Blake while watching Arron Afflalo, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews depart via free agency. In their place, Portland dealt for Mo Harkless, Gerald Henderson, Noah Vonleh, Mason Plumlee and Mike Miller.

The Blazers found a trade partner this summer in the Charlotte Hornets – a team also trying to find its way. The Hornets drafted Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminski and signed Tyler Hansbrough and Jeremy Lin as free agents. They traded for Batum, Spencer Hawes and Jeremy Lamb while saying goodbye to Bismack Biyombo, Matt Barnes, Henderson, Vonleh, Lance Stephenson and Mo Williams – who rejoined the Cavs as a free agent this summer.

The Lakers are in a unique spot – trying to win one more Championship for Kobe Bryant while rebuilding the squad with some solid young pieces. This year, they’ll get both Bryant and Julius Randle back after suffering season-ending injuries. They drafted Ohio State standout, D’Angelo Russell along with Larry Nance Jr. Mitch Kupchak also signed Lou Williams away from Toronto while adding some muscle in the paint with Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass.

And then there’s the Knicks – who are still trying to iron out the Phil Jackson Era in New York. This past June, Jackson drafted Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant before signing Arron Afflao, Robin Lopez, Kevin Seraphin, Sasha Vujacic and Derrick Williams; bidding adieu to Andrea Bargnani, Cole Aldrich, Shane Larkin, Alexy Shved and Tim Hardaway, Jr., who was shipped to Atlanta.

The Cavaliers made major overhauls last summer – and that seemed to work out pretty well. So this offseason’s front office mantra has been “getting the band back together.” The Wine and Gold didn’t make any seismic shits this summer, re-signing LeBron, Love, Iman Shumpert, J.R. Smith, James Jones and Matthew Dellavedova. (The big question still remaining is Tristan Thompson’s fate.) Other than that, the Cavs made some minor moves to buttress an already-loaded roster – signing veterans Mo Williams and Richard Jefferson along with Russian big man, Sasha Kaun.

One of the Cavs main competitors, the Chicago Bulls, didn’t lose a single player over the summer – drafting Bobby Portis and re-signing Aaron Brooks, Mike Dunleavy and All-Star guard Jimmy Butler.

The NBA’s version of the Hermit Kingdom is the Utah Jazz, who are quietly building a talented, defensive-minded young squad out in Salt Lake City. Aside from drafting the third of four first-rounders from Kentucky in Trey Lyles, their biggest offseason move was re-signing Joe Ingles.

The Thunder have a rock-solid roster when it’s healthy. So aside from re-signing Enes Kanter and Kyle Singler, it was a quiet offeason in OKC.

The World Champion Warriors drafted UCLA’s Kevon Looney, re-signed Draymond Green, Leandro Barbosa and Marreese Speights and traded David Lee to Boston in a quiet summer by the Bay. Of course, if it ain’t broke …

This summer, some recent Top 10 picks were on the move. The top overall selection of the 2006 Draft – Andrea Bargnani – traveled across the Hudson River and will now don the black-and-white of the Brooklyn Nets.

Jordan Hill, the 8th overall pick in 2009, joins the Pacers after three years in L.A. Wesley Johnson (No. 4, 2010) stays in the Staples Center – going from the Lakers to the Clippers and Greg Monroe (No. 7, 2010) makes his debut with Milwaukee this season after spending his first five seasons in Detroit.

Derrick Williams, taken one pick behind Kyrie Irving in 2011, tries to revive his career in the Big Apple; Bismack Biyombo (No. 7, 2011) starts over with the Raptors, as does Jimmer Fredette (No. 10, 2011) in San Antonio.

Thomas Robinson, the former Kansas star taken No. 5 overall in 2012, has played on four teams through his first three years in the league. He’ll try to stop that trend with the Brooklyn Nets.

Two top 10 picks from last year were also on the move this summer. Noah Vonleh, tabbed with the No. 9 pick in 2014, was shipped from Charlotte to Portland. Nik Stauskas, taken one pick later, was traded from Sacramento to Philly over the summer.

There are a few players who didn’t make a move this offseason, but they’ll be welcomed with open arms when Training Camp opens in late September.

After going down with a gruesome right knee injury during a Team USA intrasquad scrimmage, Pacers All-Star forward Paul George valiantly tried to give it a go down the stretch last season before shutting it down. With George on the floor, the Pacers are a completely different animal. It’ll be interesting to see what they’re like with George back and their twin towers out of the Conference.

Jason Kidd’s up-and-coming Bucks took Chicago to the brink in their First Round matchup last spring – and they did that without the No. 2 overall pick in last June’s Draft – Jabari Parker – who tore his ACL in mid-December. Parker, who was well on his way to Rookie of the Year honors before the injury, should make Milwaukee an even more daunting challenge this season.

The Lakers’ Julius Randle – drafted five spots after Parker – was also making an early impression before a season-ending injury sabotaged his rookie season. The standout lefty forward from Kentucky will be looking to pick up where he left off last season – and will have an improved Lakers’ roster around him when he does.

The Wine and Gold will be eager to get Anderson Varejao back on the floor after an Achilles injury ended his campaign after just 26 contests. The Wild Thing is likely already chomping at the proverbial bit to return to the hardwood – and eventually the postseason.

After 11 teams cleaned house last summer, only five coaching changes were made this offseason – although those five spots were filled by some pretty heavy-hitters.

Hardnosed former point guard Scott Skiles – who spent five seasons with the Magic as a player – takes over a young, talented Orlando squad. In New Orleans, Alvin Gentry takes over for Monty Williams, who led the Pelicans to the postseason last year.

Two high-profile college coaches make the leap into the big leagues this year, although Chicago’s Fred Hoiberg is certainly no stranger to the Association. (He is “The Mayor,” after all.) Hoiberg played ten seasons in the NBA, including four for the Bulls – as he takes over for Tom Thibodeau, whose club was outdone by LeBron James once again last May.

In Oklahoma City, they don’t get much more high-profile than Billy Donovan – who finally makes the leap from collegiate hoops after leading Florida to a pair of National Championships.

Finally, there’s the Cavaliers’ old friend Mike Malone – who was an assistant under Mike Brown from 2005-10 – and gets his second head coaching opportunity in Denver, taking over for another Brown assistant, Melvin Hunt, who was the Nuggets’ interim coach after Brian Shaw was released early last March.

Finally, what 2015 offseason compendium would be complete without listing the teams that traded reserve guard Luke Ridenour this past summer?

This past offseason, the scrappy 6-2, 175-pounder, who was originally selected by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 14th overall pick of the 2003 Draft -- and has often given the Cavs fits -- was traded by the Hornets, Magic, Raptors and Thunder.

cavs-com-offseason-primer

Cavs.com Offseason Primer

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Since his arrival with the Wine and Gold as an undrafted rookie, it’s hard to think of an NBA player who’s taken a more dramatic and inspirational journey than Matthew Dellavedova.

Matthew Dellavedova – who grew up in a small town in Australia and later starred at St. Mary’s College – went undrafted in 2013. He signed with the Cavaliers as a free agent and after impressive performances in pre-Draft workouts and Summer League, Delly made the squad by earning time after Jarrett Jack suffered a preseason knee injury.

But the scrappy Dellavedova did more than just make the team in 2013-14. He saw action in 72 games. By the time the All-Star Break rolled around, Delly was a fixture in Cleveland’s rotation, averaging over 22 minutes a game over the last two months of the season.

Training Camp opened with an entirely new feel last year, however. The young squad that closed out the previous season 16 games under .500 had completely given way to a true Championship contender featuring a troika of superstars, led by the game’s greatest player.

Delly began the season as he ended the previous one – as Kyrie Irving’s backup. But he found himself buried under a deeper, more seasoned rotation early in the campaign and after seeing action in the first three games, picked up 15 straight DNPs. He returned to the rotation on December 8 against Brooklyn and found himself in the starting lineup against OKC two games later – notching 14 points against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder.

When Kyrie’s sore left knee kept him out of the lineup as the calendar turned to 2015, Dellavedova stepped in to start eight straight contests. And although he fared pretty well in that stretch, Delly’s true role was bringing his trademark tenacity off the bench. And that’s exactly what he did the rest of the way.

Delly started four games over the remainder of the campaign, but saw action in all of Cleveland’s remaining contests – helping the squad go 34-9 to close out the regular season.  But when the regular season came to an end is when the “Legend of Delly” was born.

With Kyrie Irving making his spectacular playoff debut against the Celtics – averaging 28.0 ppg in the first two contests – Delly was very effective in his bench role, hitting both shots from the floor over that span and helping Cleveland contain Boston’s Isaiah Thomas.

Irving was just as good in the opener against Chicago, dropping 30 points in a home loss to the Bulls. But after already losing Kevin Love for the postseason, the injury bug began biting Kyrie, and he was severely limited in Game 2. In relief, Delly logged 35 minutes of action – pitching in with nine points and nine assists – as Cleveland evened the series with a 106-91 win.

Irving was again limited as the Cavaliers looked to clinch the Second Round series in Game 6 in Chicago. In his place, Delly came up huge – netting 19 points – going 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and 7-of-11 overall – as the Cavaliers eliminated the Bulls with a three-touchdown victory at the United Center.

By the time the Cavs reached the Eastern Conference Finals, the nagging injuries had begun taking their toll on Irving and Dellavedova found himself logging major minutes against Atlanta – getting the start in Games 2 and 3.

In Game 2 at Philips Arena, while diving for a loose ball, Delly collided with Kyle Korver. The Hawks marksman suffered a high ankle sprain and was lost for the playoffs. The following night, again during a loose ball scrum, Dellavedova hit the floor – drawing the ire of Atlanta’s Al Horford, who dropped an elbow on Cleveland’s starting guard and was shown the exit.

As the short-handed Cavs continued their climb through the postseason, and through his performance on the floor – often, literally on the floor – the story behind Cleveland’s undrafted point guard continued to grow.

After sweeping the Hawks out of the ECF, the Cavaliers got an eight-day layoff before taking on the Warriors in the NBA Finals. Once again, Kyrie Irving gave it a go. But this time, in overtime of Cleveland’s Game 1 loss in Oakland, Irving fractured his left kneecap as was officially done for the playoffs.

Delly was once again pressed into service – but this time he’d be going up against the reigning MVP, Stephen Curry.

In Game 2, Delly got the start and was outstanding – especially on the defensive end of the floor, where he held Curry to 5-for-23 shooting as the Cavs evened the series at one game apiece following a heart-pounding OT win in Game 2.  In Game 3, the Aussie’s legend hit folktale proportions when he went off for 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting and going 4-of-5 from the line as 20,000 strong at Quicken Loans Arena chanted his name every time he toed the stripe.

Once again, the Wine and Gold topped Golden State in dramatic fashion – taking an improbable 2-1 series lead. And even guys like LeBron’s old buddy, Chris Bosh, had bought into the rapidly-developing “Legend of Delly.”

But the clock eventually struck midnight on Delly and the undermanned Cavaliers against Golden State.

The Cavaliers went into a funk from the floor as a team and Delly was not immune – going just 5-for-26 from the field over the final three games of the series as the Warriors wrapped up their dream season with a 105-97 victory over Cleveland at The Q.

Matthew Dellavedova saved his best for last during the 2014-15 season – getting off to a slow start, in both the regular campaign and postseason, before finishing with a flurry.  And after enduring some harsh and unfair criticism for most of the season, Delly got the last laugh in the postseason – where his value grew at the same pace as his playoff beard.

With Kyrie out for the night after starting Game 6 against Chicago, Delly filled the void – netting 11 of his team-high 19 points in the fourth quarter. The sophomore guard also did his usual stellar work on the defensive end – holding Derrick Rose and Aaron Brooks to a combined 18 points on 9-for-20 shooting.

“I think (Delly)'s unique in his own way,” praised LeBron James after the win. “Obviously he's a guy that's been counted out his whole life. Probably people have been telling him he's too small, he's not fast enough, can't shoot it enough, can't handle it good enough, and he's beat the odds so many times.
The confidence that we have in him allows him to be confident in himself. He goes out and he just plays his tail off, and when a guy like that does that, he gets great results.”

But Delly’s performance early in the NBA Finals is what made him a household name. After dropping Game 1, the Kyrie-less Cavaliers stole Game 2 in dramatic fashion. Dellavedova drilled a pair of free throws with 10.1 to play that gave the Cavaliers a one-point edge and on Golden State’s next possession, the Aussie guard blanketed Curry – whose 19-foot attempt traveled only 18 feet. LeBron snagged the airball with 5.5 to play and was fouled – splitting the pair to seal the deal.

In his second straight start of the Finals, Dellavedova went off for a playoff-high 20 points, going 7-for-17 from the floor to go with five boards and four assists as Cleveland took Game 3. In that nail-biter, Delly converted a sensational three-point play with 2:45 remaining after Curry had cut the Cavs’ 17-point lead to just one.

Although Dellavedova has put up some nice numbers during his brief career, his accomplishments will likely never be measured in the boxscore. In that respect, it’s impossible to criticize the man for not lighting up the stat sheet.

Delly exceeded expectations as a starter in the postseason, but that’s not a role he’s going to flourish in at the NBA level. During the regular season, the former St. Mary’s standout got 13 starts in relief of Irving and, despite a couple of strong showings, the squad was 2-11 in those contests.

In the postseason, the team’s mark improved to 4-3 with Delly in the starting lineup.

One thing Matthew Dellavedova will never be accused of is having low energy on the hardwood. At least part of the reason might be his love for coffee – something he developed in college at St. Mary’s which “definitely helped, senior year, to write some papers.”

According to the guard from Down Under: “I (drink) it before workouts and before lifting weights. And then, last season, I would get to the arena earlier in the day and work out – and I was getting kind of tired from the travel and needed a little pick-me-up. And I had a coffee before the game and just kept it going. So it just became part of the routine and so I’ve been doing it since early last year.

“I really enjoy drinking coffee. I don’t have one on gameday afternoon because I like taking a nap after shootaround. And I really enjoy the taste of coffee. I read an article once – a research article – that said having caffeine before athletic performance increases strength and mental focus and things like that.”

11.6 … Matthew Dellavedova’s scoring average over the last five home games of the 2015 postseason.

In 10 playoff games at The Q, Dellavedova averaged 8.4 ppg – 3.2 points higher than his regular season home scoring average.

Matthew Dellavedova ... when asked during the Finals if he thought HE was an annoying player  …

"Well, I’ve never played against myself, so …"

Entering this year’s Training Camp, Dellavedova will have some competition at the backup point guard spot – with former Cavalier Mo Williams inking a free agent deal this summer to rejoin his old team.

But the beauty of Delly is that he’s never shrunk from the competition; just ask Kyrie Irving – who’s had some serious battles with his “Australian brother” at the Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Delly might not bring huge numbers to the Wine and Gold, but there’s no denying the effect he has on the squad. He also comes into his third season with Cleveland with a bounty of playoff experience at the highest level.   He’ll figure out a way to fit into the rotation, and he’ll figure out a way to make a mess of the opponent’s offense when he hits the hardwood.

And when he does, the next chapters in the “Legend of Delly” will begin to be written …

season-wrap-up-matthew-dellavedova

Season Wrap-Up: MATTHEW DELLAVEDOVA

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Countless predictions surrounded last year’s new-look Cavaliers squad. But none of those predictions foresaw the Wine and Gold acquiring J.R. Smith as the squad’s starting two-guard.

After an offseason for the ages, the Cavs went into last campaign with lofty expectations. But they found themselves struggling around the .500 mark as the calendar turned to 2015.  And after dropping a lopsided Sunday afternoon decision to Dallas at The Q, the season took a dramatic turn the following night in Philadelphia.

That night – minutes before tipping off against the Sixers – the Cavaliers announced a three-team deal that sent Dion Waiters to the Thunder, bringing Smith, Iman Shumpert and a protected first-rounder back to Cleveland while sending Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk and their own 2019 second-rounder to New York. (Two nights later, the Cavs would package that first-rounder in another major deal that brought Timofey Mozgov to town.)

Smith was the first of the three new Cavaliers to see action for his new squad and he got off to a rough start – going 0-for-5 from the floor in a January 7 home loss to the Rockets. But Smith found his rhythm as the Cavs traveled West – and exploded for 27 points in his first start with Cleveland, going 11-for-23 from the floor and 3-of-8 from long-distance in a loss to Golden State.

From that point forward, about the only things that slowed Smith down were a suspension at the end of the Cavs’ First Round series with Boston and those same Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Drafted by the Hornets in 2004, Smith spent five seasons in Denver and just over three with New York. In 2012-13, after averaging 18.1 ppg with the Knicks, Smith was named Sixth Man of the Year.  Including this past year, he’s canned at least 100 treys in eight of his last nine seasons and ranks 24th on the league’s all-time list with 1,475 three-pointers made.

In terms of heating up from beyond the arc, nobody has ever done it better than Smith. He has 14 games with at least eight treys, 25 games of at least seven – both NBA records.

During the 2014-15 season, Smith ranked 11th in the NBA with 163 three-pointers made, averaging 2.3 makes per contest. He hit three or more threes on 27 occasions; five or more in 11 games.

In 51 starts with the Wine and Gold, the New Jersey native notched double-figures in 39 games and topped the 20-point plateau on 13 occasions. He made at least one three-pointer in 38 contests for Cleveland, including a stretch of 19 straight games from late February through early March.  No player in the Eastern Conference hit more bombs than Smith from January 13 forward.

In the postseason, Smith performed well against Boston in Cleveland’s First Round sweep. But a Game 4 incident with the Celtics’ Jae Crowder – in which Smith was tossed for decking him while boxing out for a rebound – resulted in a two-game suspension to start the Second Round.

When Smith finally suited up against Chicago – coming off the bench in his return and through the rest of the playoffs – he was the model of consistency, averaging 12.7 ppg (same as his regular season mark with the Cavs) – shooting an even 50 percent from the floor, including 44 percent from long-distance.

Against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, Smith was even better – especially in Game 1 in Atlanta, going off for a game-high 28 points as Cleveland stole homecourt advantage from the Hawks. In Games 3 and 4, Smith was a combined 7-for-19 from beyond the arc – averaging 17.5 ppg and grabbing 10 boards in each of the final two contests.

In the NBA Finals, Smith struggled from the floor – shooting just 31 percent, including 29 percent from deep. Smith still netted double-figures in four of the series’ six games, but didn’t shoot the ball well until the final minutes of Game 6. By then, Golden State was already pulling away and eyeing their first NBA Championship in four decades.

J.R. Smith had some big games shooting the ball this year – frequently tormenting the Cavaliers’ division rivals.

He broke the 20-point mark five times against the Central as a member of the Cavaliers – most notably his aerial assault against Milwaukee on March 22. In that contest, Smith helped the Wine and Gold overcome an 18-point deficit, going 3-for-3 from long-range in the fourth – 4-of-4 from the floor overall – netting 11 of his 23 points in the final period.

But Smith saved his best for the postseason, bombing the Hawks out of Philips Arena in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals – going 8-of-12 from beyond the arc (10-for-16 overall) to finish with 28 points, eight boards, three assists, a steal and a blocked shot. Smith, who hit five of his eight treys after intermission, was the only Cavalier reserve to score that night.

Although J.R. (and Iman Shumpert) – who saw their Knicks drop 31 of their next 35 games after beating Cleveland on opening night – might disagree, his season lowlight probably came in the Finals.

After returning from his two-game suspension levied at the end of the series with Boston, Smith – who relinquished his starting spot to Shumpert – got back to speed quickly. And he was very good against Atlanta.

But Smith was obviously pressing in his first career trip to the Finals, shooting 26 percent from beyond the arc in the first five games against Golden State – including an 0-for-8 performance in Game 4 and a 4-for-14 output in Game 5.

Even J.R. Smith admits that he doesn’t look like your average golf aficionado. But he picked up the sport six years ago and can’t get enough – even taking time to tee off with the PGA’s Bubba Watson when the squad traveled to Orlando this past season.

In the words of Smith himself, here’s how the sweet-shooting two-guard got his start on the links …

”Rashard Lewis had an outing in Houston. It was his first outing. And I was just riding around in the carts, just being, like, the ‘talent,’ so to speak.  I was driving up on Moses Malone’s group and he was like: ‘Man, are you just gonna ride around the in the carts all day?’ And I said: ‘Yeah, I don’t play golf. It’s easy, it’s boring.’

He’s like: ‘Come on, man. Get out here!’

So I get out there, first swing, no kidding, 300 yards down the fairway. First time ever! And I said: ‘See, look? Easy, right?’ All (Moses) did was shot me how to hold a club, and he just said: ‘Swing.’ So I swung … 300 yards!

So, we drive around some more, come back, he says: ‘Try it again.’ I could NOT hit it right again! But after that, I was hooked. I wanted to go buy a set of clubs that day!”

131 … Three-pointers made by J.R. Smith since joining the Cavaliers on January 7, most in the Eastern Conference and third-most in the NBA during that stretch.

Only the Splash Brothers – Stephen Curry (192) and Klay Thompson (149) – canned more treys during that span.

J.R. Smith ... on the deeper meaning of what his success in Cleveland signified to him  …

"It's a great situation for me. But it's more for my mom. She's probably my biggest fan. When all those negative things are being said and stuff like that, me personally, I really don't care. But for her, to see her hurting, to see her go through those situations, to feel the way she feels, it's a terrible feeling for me because I know I'm putting her in those situations. So if anything, it's just for her."

With J.R. Smith back in the fold, the Cavaliers club that finished two wins away from an NBA Championship is almost completely reassembled as Training Camp looms just three weeks away.

Smith’s revitalized his career with the Cavaliers last season. Known for his on- and off-the-court exploits, J.R. was the ultimate teammate last season. He and LeBron James had a particularly strong relationship, but the 11-year veteran known as “Swish” worked well in any combination – and was just as effective off the bench in the playoffs as he was as a starter in the regular season.

A seasoned, savvy veteran, Smith – the East’s top marksman last year – knows exactly what’s at stake on the North Coast this season. In either role – back in the starting lineup or relieving Shump off the bench – he’ll want to wash the taste of the Finals out of his mouth early as the Cavaliers take aim at the title that eluded them this past June.

season-wrap-up-j-r-smith

Season Wrap-Up: J.R. SMITH

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Comparing LeBron James to current players is a bit of disservice to both parties. The four-time MVP doesn’t put up numbers like most mere mortals. And this year, back in his hometown, he came two wins away from etching another chapter into his Hall of Fame legacy: almost single-handedly willing his shorthanded squad to the NBA title.

The Cavaliers all-time leader in … well … everything, LeBron’s first season back on the North Coast wasn’t without its bumps and bruises. But King James’ return was all that it was expected to be and more.

From the moment James appeared in the Cavaliers’ vibrant gold uniform on Media Day last September to the moment he strode off the podium following a disappointing Game 6 loss to the Warriors just over two months ago, he stuffed another season with memories that’ll last a lifetime.

During the regular season, LeBron posted another campaign filled with mind-blowing numbers.

He led the Eastern Conference in scoring at 25.3 ppg (3rd in the NBA) and was second in the East in assists, at 7.4 per contest. LeBron averaged 6.0 boards and 1.6 steals in his 12th season and even managed to turn a career-low into a positive – logging just 36.1 minutes in his 69 regular season starts.

By topping the 25.0 ppg mark for the 11th straight season, James joined Karl Malone and Jerry West for most consecutive in NBA history. And by notching double-figure scoring in all 69 games, he improved his consecutive streak to 641 – third-longest in NBA history. Despite missing 13 games, Numeral 23 was still one of only three players in the NBA to tally 1,700 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 100 steals.

This season, LeBron led the team in scoring 37 times, in assists 49 times, in steals on 28 occasions, 18 times in blocked shots and in rebounding in nine contests. James had 52 games of at least 20 points, topped the 30-point plateau 18 times and posted three 40-point outings.  In 35 games, he notched at least 20 points, five boards and five assists. The Wine and Gold were 30-5 in those contests.

Always one with a flair for the dramatic, Akron’s favorite son averaged 7.1 points in the fourth quarter this year, 2nd in the NBA; he scored at least 10 points in the fourth quarter in a team-high 16 games. He was third in the Association in road scoring at 27.2 ppg.

Throughout the season, James blew past team and league records like the litany of defenders who’ve tried to stop him.

At separate points, he passed Mark Price to become the Cavaliers all-time leader in both three-pointers made and assists. During a victory over Detroit, LeBron became the NBA’s all-time assist leader among frontcourt players – surpassing Scottie Pippen. Throughout the campaign he rose quickly through the league’s all-time scoring ranks, now resting at No. 20 – 279 points behind The Logo heading into next season.

Individually, LeBron was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month in both February and March – his NBA-record 28th and 29th selections. James was named the East’s Player of the Week three times this year, upping his career total to 48 – also an NBA record.

In the 2015 All-Star Game at the World’s Most Famous Arena, LeBron – making his 11th straight appearance in the midseason classic – led the Eastern Conference with 30 points, adding five boards, seven assists and a pair of steals.  He currently sits second on the all-time All-Star Game scoring list at 278 points – just two behind Kobe Bryant.

As great as LeBron was during the regular season, he was actually even better in the playoffs.

The Wine and Gold entered the postseason with a “Big Three,” but were down to their “Big One” by Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Through it all, LeBron’s herculean effort on an almost-nightly basis was the stuff of legend.

In the Cavs’ recent playoff appearance, James joined Oscar Robertson as the only other player to average 30.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and 8.0 assists in a single postseason – posting averages of 30.1 points, 11.3 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.7 steals over the course of Cleveland’s 20-game run. In those 20 games, he notched 14 double-doubles and three triple-doubles.

Against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, James almost averaged a triple-double: 30.3 points, 11.0 boards, 9.3 assists and 2.0 steals over the course of the four-game sweep. No player in NBA history has ever put up those numbers in a playoff series.

This spring, James became just the sixth player in NBA history to score at least 5,000 career playoff points. Over his postseason career, he’s been the outright leader in points, boards and assists on 37 different occasions – 24 more than the next-highest player on the list, Larry Bird (13).

In the NBA Finals against Golden State, with Kevin Love’s left arm in a sling and Kyrie Irving’s right leg in a cast, LeBron was superhuman – becoming the first player in history to lead a Finals series in points, rebounds and assists. Against the NBA’s top defense – and with that defense designed exclusively to stop him – James averaged 35.8 points, 13.3 rebounds and 8.8 assists over the course of the six-game series.

Overall, no matter how many records LeBron shatters or how many points, boards and assists he posts, his true value to the organization, the city, the league and the sport itself cannot be accurately measured by those digits. He is more than the game’s greatest player. He’s its ambassador, its gold-standard.

And he’ll be ready to do it all again when Training Camp tips off in just over a month from now.

LeBron James made a run at his fifth MVP award this season, but the King really went to work after the regular season wrapped up.

James simply posted too many great games this past postseason to single out just one. But his Round-by-Round highlights include …

*Notching 108 total points in Cleveland’s First Round series against Boston – giving him 831 against the Celtics all-time in the postseason. The only players with more career playoff points against Boston are Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor.

*One game after saving the Cavaliers season – draining a game-winning baseline jumper at the buzzer at the United Center to even their Second Round series with Chicago at two games apiece – LeBron went off for 38 points, 12 boards, six assists, three steals, three blocks and zero turnovers. He is the only player in league history to produce that stat line without a single miscue.

*In a dramatic Game 3 overtime thriller – and with both Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving out with injuries – LeBron put the squad on his sizeable shoulders, tallying 37 points, 18 boards, 13 assists and three steals. The last player to post a similar playoff stat line was Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.

*In the Finals, it’s even more difficult to decipher the highlight of the series. But Game 2 at Oracle Arena might have been his crowning moment. In that riveting OT victory, James notched his sixth career Finals triple-double – 39 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists – as the Cavs evened the series before heading back to Cleveland.

For LeBron James to post a lowlight, he has to literally NOT be on the court. And that was the case from December 30 to January 11, when he missed a career-high eight straight games while nursing a cranky left knee and sore lower back.

During that time, the Cavaliers dropped seven of eight contests, including a five-game losing streak that saw the Wine and Gold sitting one game under .500 in mid-January.  LeBron returned to the lineup on January 13 in Phoenix and, after dropping that contest, led his squad to 12 straight victories.

On an individual level, LeBron spoke openly about his efficiency level – something he takes great personal pride in – had taken a hit during the postseason. With Irving and Love sidelined, James was forced to pick up some scoring and rebounding slack and was taken out of his normally efficient overall game.

LeBron’s three-point shooting percentage and field goal percentage were his lowest in some time, as well. He shot under 50 percent from the floor for the first time since 2008-09 and was at just 23 percent from beyond the arc in the postseason.

Knowing the 11-time All-Star, he’s in a gym somewhere working that out right now …

This summer, LeBron expanded his range and made the move to the silver screen – co-starring with Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in Judd Apatow’s romantic-ish comedy, “Trainwreck.”

James drew rave reviews for his role – essentially playing himself, although much more frugal and with a penchant for the British period piece, “Downtown Abbey.”

”He approached it the same way that all of the other comedians and other actors did,” said Apatow of working with LeBron. “He never said, ‘Oh, I can’t do that. That would make me look weird.’ He was like a comic! He came in and he played, and he was loose, and he wasn’t precious… And then he improvised! A lot of the funniest things are things that he was improvising.”

24,913 … Career points for LeBron James, placing him at No. 20 on the all-time list heading into his 13th season.

This season alone, James surpassed Patrick Ewing, Ray Allen, Allen Iverson, Charles Barkley, Robert Parrish, Vince Carter and Adrian Dantley along the way.

LeBron James ... after winning the Eastern Conference title, capping a sweep of Atlanta with a 30-point victory at The Q  …

“When I made my decision to come back here, I knew what I wanted to do, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy. It's going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication, and it's going to be the toughest task for me to try to get this team back to The Finals. I've had to step up my leadership. I had to be very patient, which I'm not very patient. I'm not a very patient guy, but I knew I had to work on that. To be able to sit at one point during the season and see us at 19-20 and watching my team struggle and me sitting out two weeks, they wanted Coach Blatt fired, saying we needed another point guard, will LeBron and Kyrie be able to play together? So many story lines were just happening at that point in time. For us to be sitting at this point today being able to represent the Eastern Conference in The Finals, this is special. It's very special.”

LeBron is simultaneously the most dominant and predictable player in the league. But the only thing predictable about his game is his dominance. Since his arrival in the NBA, nobody has brought the consistent, sustained excellence that the 30-year-old father of three has.

And after last year’s jaw-dropping run, the only point to make about LeBron James is that if he was able to take the franchise to the doorstep of an NBA title without two fellow superstars and his starting center, imagine what heights he has in store for this season and beyond.

season-wrap-up-lebron-james

Season Wrap-Up: LeBRON JAMES

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When the Wine and Gold wrapped up the 2013-14 regular season, closing out the campaign with a win over Brooklyn, the ten Cavaliers who played that night had a total of 36 games of playoff experience. (And even that was spread between just two players – Jarrett Jack and Spencer Hawes – with 18 postseason games each.)

For comparison’s sake, this season’s Cavaliers wrapped up their regular season with a group of veterans who had a combined 784 games of playoff experience. One of those infinitely-experienced vets was James Jones – who, along with LeBron James, made his fifth straight NBA Finals appearance this past June, something that hadn’t been individually accomplished since the Celtics dynasties of the ‘60s.

When James Jones checked into Game 6 against Golden State, it was the 29th Finals appearance – and 128th playoff games – of his 12-year career.  And for the man who Austin Carr describes as having “ice-water in his veins” there’s nothing he hasn’t seen on this stage.

On the Association’s biggest stage, Jones knows both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat – topping the Thunder in 2012 and Spurs in 2013; falling to the Mavericks in 2011, those same Spurs in 2014 and, most recently, the Warriors.

Jones played in all 20 of Cleveland’s postseason contests in 2014-15, culminating a season that got off to a slow start but saw the sharpshooting former Miami Hurricane entrenched in the Cavaliers’ playoff rotation.

The cerebral swingman – whose victory in the 2011 Three-Point Shootout earned him the team nickname “Champ” – appeared in 57 regular season games in his first year with the Wine and Gold, starting a pair and averaging 4.4 points on 37 percent shooting from the floor.

With Cleveland’s surplus of scoring options, Jones wasn’t asked to stuff the stat sheet this year. But he did notch double-figures on six occasions, hitting multiple three-pointers in 21 games, including three contests in which he canned four bombs from beyond the arc. In his 600th career game at Orlando on March 15, Jones went 4-for-8 from long-distance in 23 minutes, leading Cleveland to the 15-point win.

Jones role is similar on the defensive end – where the wily veteran might be the Cavaliers’ most erudite team defender, turning in game-changing defensive plays in Game 2 of the East Finals against Atlanta and Game 2 of the Finals against Golden State.

James Jones didn’t come to Cleveland to get extended minutes or jumpstart his career. He’s an accomplished, highly-respected vet who came here to do exactly what he did – hit some big shots, play solid team defense, fortify the bench and provide leadership to a group of young teammates making their first foray into the postseason.

”It just seems that every time we throw (Jones) out there, he does something to help the team and he’s always ready,” praised Coach David Blatt. “Every day he’s in it, he’s engaged and he’s all about helping the team whether it be saying the right things or whether it be playing when asked to play or making a shot when asked to make one. He’s just a dependable veteran that you can trust and he has been playing excellent basketball for us.”

James Jones posted some strong performances during the regular season – going 4-for-5 from deep in a big road win over Brooklyn, 3-for-4 in a road win over Washington after the All-Star Break and 4-for-7 in a victory in Toronto that gave Cleveland the season series against the Raptors.

But the seasoned playoff veteran naturally saved his best for the NBA’s “second season” – dropping a season-high 17 points on the Bulls when the Wine and Gold needed it most, following a Game 1 home loss to Chicago in the Second Round.

In that 15-point victory which evened the series at one game apiece, Jones went 6-for-10 from the floor, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc in 22 minutes of action.

”I’m very confident in (Jones) – he’s battle tested,” gushed LeBron James following the win. “He’s playoff tested, he’s battle tested.  He’s a true professional, a true gamer. Anytime his opportunity is called, especially when I’m on the floor I’m always looking for him. I know he’s capable of doing great things. For him to have 17 off our bench tonight (is great). Defensively he was in tune as well – his commitment to detail throughout the whole game. He’s just great to have – not only out on the floor but just in the locker room. He’s a great guy. I’m happy for him, I’m happy for his performance. I’m more proud of him than anybody tonight. He was amazing.”

Jones season wrapped up well -- playing in each of Cleveland’s 20 postseason games and appearing in all but one of the Cavs’ final 30 regular season contests. But the season didn’t start particularly well for him.

After inking a free agent deal with the Cavaliers on August 5 last summer, the man selected 48 spots after LeBron back in 2003 had a difficult time getting on the floor in the early-going.

During the first 17 games of the 2014-15 season, Jones saw action in just three contests – and attempted only four combined shots in those appearances.  But on December 5, Jones went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc in a win over the Knicks at The Garden and 4-of-5 from deep three nights later in Brooklyn.

The rest of the season, as they say, is history.

The thoughtful, articulate father of three girls, James Jones currently serves as the secretary-treasurer of the National Basketball Players Association.

As a Finance major at “The U” – where he was recently inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame – Jones was a member of the Big East All-Academic Team during his first three years and was part of the prestigious Verizon Academic All-American team as a senior. At Coral Gables, James was a member of the National Honor Society and carried a 3.41 GPA.

Before the regular season tipped off, Jones spoke about his academic excellence at Coral Gables.

”I’ve always had the mindset wherever I dedicate myself to, I pursue it to the utmost,” recalled Jones. “And academically, that was something that’s easily controlled on my end. And I really cherished that opportunity because, being the oldest sibling in the house, with younger sisters and a brother behind me, I definitely wanted to let them know that – although they weren’t as athletically-inclined as I was – that there was an opportunity to do something special.”

704 … three-pointers that James Jones has drilled over the course of his NBA career, 59th among all active players.

His .3984 percentage from long-distance puts him in 16th place among all active sharpshooters – 41st all-time in NBA history.

James Jones ... on how he maintains his mindset as a long-distance shooter  …

“I wake up every day with the mindset that I’m on; that I’m always on. Like a 24-hour news channel – always on.

I try to set my routine so that I do the same thing every day. When I walk into the arena, every day my first shot, as I call it, is a ‘cold turkey three-pointer.’ And, I make that cold turkey three-pointer 90 percent of the time.  The other 10 percent of the time, I’ll shoot until I make it. And once I make it, I feel like I’m on.

So it’s a mindset more than anything. We know that this game is all about numbers. At the end of the day, you’ll shoot above average, so I’ve always positioned myself mentally to know that I’ll shoot above average. Some days you’ll go 7-for-7, some days you’ll go 1-for-7. But my mindset is the same, which is: every time I shoot it, I’m going to make it.”

The Cavaliers and their coaching staff know exactly what they’ll be getting out of James Jones this upcoming season – and for a team with Championship aspirations, he’s exactly what they’ll need.

With scorers like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, the Wine and Gold are looking for someone to be that catch-and-shoot guy to punish defenses for collapsing too hard on any of Cleveland’s prized troika.

For a team in the Cavaliers’ position, Jones is an invaluable piece of the roster – solid, no-nonsense, low-maintenance veteran who’s as solid on the floor as he is in the locker room.

Though he’s not on the level of LeBron James, there’s a reason James Jones has joined him on five straight Finals teams – and will return to try and make it six when their 13th NBA seasons tip off in Training Camp.

season-wrap-up-james-jones

Season Wrap-Up: JAMES JONES

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This past season couldn’t have started any better for Anderson Varejao – the longest-tenured Cavalier on the roster. His old friend, LeBron James, was returning to Cleveland – and likely bringing playoff basketball back with him. Andy was coming off his healthiest season in years, suiting up for 65 contests in 2013-14. And if all that wasn’t enough, the team was traveling to Rio de Janeiro for a preseason meeting with the Heat.

But the Wild Thing’s season took an unfortunate (and unfortunately familiar) turn just before Christmas, and Andy was forced to watch the rest of the campaign in civvies from the sideline.

2015 Season Wrap‑Up

Cavs.com Offseason Primer

Season Wrap-Up: MATTHEW DELLAVEDOVA

Season Wrap-Up: J.R. SMITH

Season Wrap-Up: LeBRON JAMES

Season Wrap-Up: JAMES JONES

Season Wrap-Up: ANDERSON VAREJAO

Season Wrap-Up: IMAN SHUMPERT

Season Wrap-Up: TIMOFEY MOZGOV