King James Gospel
Fansided

What would have happened had LeBron not come back?

By Robbie DiPaola

Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images)
Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – FEBRUARY 29: George Hill #3 of the Indiana Pacers puts pressure on Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on February 29, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pacers 100-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – FEBRUARY 29: George Hill #3 of the Indiana Pacers puts pressure on Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half at Quicken Loans Arena on February 29, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pacers 100-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory copyright notice. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Playing the “what if?” game is a favorite pastime for many sports fans and media members alike. Now, it’s time for the Cleveland Cavaliers “what if?” question.

So it is now time to play that game once again and take a look at one question. What would have happened had LeBron James not come back to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014?

Reports surfaced in late July that former Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving already had free agents committed to playing in Cleveland back in 2014. However, none of those players were named LeBron James.

In fact, we have since learned that Irving reportedly never wanted James to come back to the Cavaliers in the first place.

So who did Irving want and how would those players have fared being on an up-and-coming Cavaliers team?

Gordon Hayward was the Cavaliers top (realistic) free agent target back in the summer of 2014. Hayward actually spoke about that summer when he signed with the Boston Celtics last offseason.

“I actually went to Cleveland on a visit when I was a restricted free agent (in 2014), and Kyrie came in and was saying how much fun it’d be if I was on the team and kinda recruited me to go there.”

While it was not a sure thing that Hayward would have been a member of the Wine & Gold, indications are the Jazz may not have matched the offer sheet Cleveland would have offered him.

Pairing two players who were both on the rise at their respective positions would have been an intriguing site to see.

A player who also was rumored to be on the Cavaliers radar back in 2014 was forward Trevor Ariza. Back in 2014, Ariza was coming off a successful season with the Washington Wizards.  He averaged 14.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and shot 45 percent from the field as well as 41 percent from beyond the arc.

This was the beginning of the “Three and D” era and Ariza fit that mold perfectly. His overall skill set would have been a perfect fit on a young Cavaliers team that was in need of an identity.

You can look at the three players (Irving, Hayward, Ariza) now and speculate at how that trio of talent would have fared in the Eastern Conference.

We quickly forget the overall landscape in the NBA was much different even four years ago than it is today. The Warriors were a young team, looking to take that next step in the Western Conference and the Pacers were the top seed in the East.

But, the Cavaliers could’ve easily risen to dominance and quickly.