LeBron Releases the Most Self-Absorbed Commercial in History

Apparently, he’s the victim.

LeBron, in your own words: “GET OVER IT”.  I have.

GO CAVS!

Gotta Love the Onion

Mark Price Quietly Shooting Free Throws Somewhere

Poll: Should Shaq Stay in the CavsHistory Banner?

So the CavsHistory banner is kindof reserved for Cavs greats. Its basically our Mt. Rushmore. Should Shaq stay or go? If you want him out, leave a comment on who should replace him.

Mt. Rushmore

Big Z Thanks Fans, Asks for Understanding

On the heels of the longest tenured Cav in history signing with the Heat to chase a championship, Zydrunas takes a path less traveled… he asks for understanding.

Check out the ad he placed in the Plain Dealer on Sunday:

Dear Cleveland....

As always, Z is a class act.

Cavs Sign Forward Joey Graham to Two Year Deal

Cavs have signed Joey Graham (twin of Cav Alumni Stephen Graham) to a 2 year $2.1m deal.

Twin #1 (Stephen)

Wayne Embry likes him… and he knows talent (or did).

I hope he does do well, but these seems very Ira Newble-ish to me.

Press release via Cavs.com below.

“The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed guard/forward Joey Graham to a contract, Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant announced today. Per league and team policy, terms of the contract were not announced.

Twin #2 (Joey)

“We’re excited to add Joey to our roster. He adds a tough, veteran presence on the perimeter that will complement the pieces we have in place,” said Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant. “With his strong work ethic and discipline, we feel he is a great match with the culture we have built and continue to build.”

Prior to joining the Nuggets, the 6-foot-7 guard/forward played four seasons with the Toronto Raptors. In the 2008-09 season, Graham posted career highs of 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in 19.8 minutes over 78 games (10 starts). In the 10 starts, he averaged 11.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 28.3 minutes.

“Joining Cleveland marks an exciting, brand new start for me,” said Graham. “This is a great opportunity and I’m excited to come in and help the team as much as possible.”

In his career, the five-year veteran has played in 338 games, including 76 starts, and averaged 6.0 points and 2.9 rebounds. He has shot .815 from the free-throw line and .485 from the field.“

Will add him to the site when he plays a game

R.I.P Former Cav Lorenzen Wright

Lorenzen Wright

Really sad to report that former Cavs Lorenzen Wright was first missing and now found dead in the woods in southeast Memphis.

I will always remember Wright as the person who reminded LeBron to thank his girlfriend to acknowledge his girlfriend in his first MVP speech.

He was a solid veteran NBA player, but didn’t see too much time with the Cavs due to our deep bench.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal has the story.

What They’re Saying…

David Aldridge of TNT talks about how Byron Scott is the guy to take us forward with what is left.  He paints a picture that Scott has the pedigree and the experience. But what how it all plays out is anyone’s guess.

The AP submitted a little story about how us broken hearted Clevelanders are taking out their anger in a constructive way.  By giving LeBron gear to homeless shelters in South Florida.

Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com wrote a story about the new shape of the Eastern Conference.  The Cavs and the Heat were dropped into the “Extreme Makeover” category. Something to consider if you bet on sports.

Britt Robson of Sport Illustrated wonders how some of the big signings are going to turn out.

Mark Stein doesn’t think Shaq will be welcome to join the Super-Heat in Miami.  Apparently, some of the bridges he burned while leaving for Phoenix are still burnt. But he still thinks the big guy is still the biggest name left on the FA market.

D-Block

Looks like our old buddy Darnell Jackson may be playing for the Kings and not with the King next year.

Remember how Penny Hardaway was coming out of retirement, maybe to play with the heat?  Well, that only took five days.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas Joins the Miami Heat

via the PD & @PDCavsInsider

MVP Rookie Challenge MVP

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the heart of the Cavaliers franchise for the past 14 years, is moving on.

Ilgauskas will sign with the Miami Heat to join former Cavs teammate LeBron James, Ilgauskas‘ agent told The Plain Dealer today.

Ilgauskas will accept the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million for next season.

The Cavs offered Ilgauskas a guaranteed contract, but he elected to go to Miami, where his wife Jennifer has family, and attempt to win a championship with the re-stocked Heat.

“It was a hard decision for him,” said Herb Rudoy, Ilgauskas” longtime agent. “He has 14 years invested in the Cavs and he wants to win a championship. He’s going where he has the best chance to win a championship.”

Ilgauskas is the Cavs franchise’s all-time leader in games played (771), rebounds (5,904) and blocks (1,269) and

Stood Tall for 14 Years

is second in points (10,616). He made All-Star appearances in 2003 and 2005 after recovering from reconstructive surgery on his foot.

Last season was a difficult one for Ilgauskas as he moved to the bench for the first time to back up Shaquille O’Neal. Then he was traded in February as part of a deal for the Cavs to acquire Antawn Jamison. He took a buyout from the Washington Wizards and returned to the Cavs a month later but had lost his rhythm and his spot in the rotation and he did not play strongly down the stretch.

He averaged 7.4 and 5.4 rebounds in his final year with the team.

One of the better offensive rebounders in NBA history with 2,336 of them, Ilgauskas also still is effective with his mid-range jump shot. The Heat has been looking for big men after letting its starting center, Jermaine O’Neal, leave in free agency.

The Cavs and Heat were one of six teams to show interest in Ilgauskas. Both were believed to be willing to offer him the same contract.

Goodbye Z

LeBron Retrospective In Numbers

CavsHistory’s Final Post on LeBron James.  Regardless of his departure, he is at or near the top in many career statistics.

(You can find Cavs All-Time Stats HERE)

All-Time Cavalier Career Stats (Red = 1st, Blue = 2nd, Green = 3rd):

Games: 7th (tied with Brad Daugherty) – 548
Points: 1st – 15,251
Minutes Played: 1st – 22,108
FGA: 1st – 11,403
FGM: 1st = 5,415
3pFGA: 1st – 2,344
3pFGM: 2nd – 771
FTA: 1st – 4,917
FTM: 1st – 3,650
OffREB: 14th – 678
DefREB: 3rd – 3,183
TotREB: 4th – 3,861 
AST: 2nd – 3,810
STL: 1st – 955
BLK: 4th – 482
PF: 15th – 1,012 
TO: 1st – 1802

All-Time Cavaliers Career Averages (Red = 1st, Blue = 2nd, Green = 3rd):

MPG: 1st – 40.3
PPG: 1st – 27.8
APG: 5th – 7.0
OffREBPG: 38th – 1.24
DefREBPG: 9th – 5.81
TotREBPG: 21st – 7.05
STLPG: 3rd – 1.74
BPG: 13th (Tied with Robert Traylor) – 0.88
TOPG: 2nd (Tied with Ron Harper) -3.29
FG%: 19th (Tied with Z) – .475

R.I.P. Former Cav Great, Melvin Turpin

Mel Turpin

Mel Turpin, former Cavalier and All-American Kentucky center, committed suicide Thursday, authorities said. He was 49.

Police and the coroner were called to his North Lexington house Thursday afternoon on a personal injury call. They found Turpin dead.

Coroner Gary Ginn says that Turpin had committed suicide, but would not say how. He also would not say whether Turpin left behind a suicide note.

Margaret Burrus, his sister, tearfully told reporters outside her home that her brother was diabetic and trying to keep it under control.

“I didn’t know he was depressed or anything,” she said. “I would have never said that he would have done this.”

Turpin was the youngest sibling among six, Burrus said. Just two are still living.

“We had a big family and it’s now whittling away,” she said.

Burrus said Turpin’s wife had a heart condition and authorities said she was not at home at the time of the death.

Neighbor Amanda McFadden said Turpin always seemed happy.

“He never looked upset. He kept a smile on his face, just a good person,” she said.

The 6-foot-11 Turpin, dubbed “The Big Dipper,” was an All-Southeastern Conference player for the Wildcats from 1980-84. He led Kentucky to the SEC championship in 1984.

Mel vs. Bucks on 1/9/85

The center helped lead the Wildcats to three consecutive regular-season SEC titles. He averaged a career-high 15.2points per game in 1983-84 and shot 74.5 percent from the field.

Mitch Barnhart, Kentucky athletics director, said school supporters “will forever remember Melvin and all his contributions to our basketball program.”

Current coach John Calipari expressed his sympathy to Turpin’s family and said he is praying “for their strength during this time of grief.”

Turpin was the sixth player selected in the 1984 NBA draft that included Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, but never had the NBA success of those future stars.

Turpin was picked by the Washington Bullets, then traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. His best season was 1985-86 when he averaged 13.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, but he was out of the league four years later.