The Cleveland Cavaliers have seen a good number of productive forwards in their day. Here’s a look at some of the best forwards in franchise history.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a team undergoing another facelift. With recent departure of LeBron James, it’s worth taking a look at the 15 best forwards of all-time. The forward position is changing ,so it’s worthwhile to see how the position has evolved from a Cleveland perspective, from stretch fours, to dominant paint scorers, to all-around playmakers.
The Cavaliers have 22 playoff appearances under their belt as a franchise. A lot of them are due to the work James has done. In 11 seasons with Cleveland, James turned the franchise around, leading them to nine of those postseason appearances. Before James though, there were guys like Campy Russell and Larry Nance that set the precedent.
Russell was a member of the Cavaliers when they won their first ever Central Division title. Nance saw his No. 22 jersey retired after becoming quite the rim protector. However, he has since changed his mind about his retired jersey, allowing his son Larry Nance Jr. to wear the number. Those are just a few names, too.
The current state of the franchise isn’t in a total panic, as versatile forward Kevin Love still remains. Love signed a four-year contract extension in the 2018 offseason with the club worth $120 million. With a long-term investment in Love, it will be interesting to see how they use him going forward. Here’s a look at the 15 best forwards of all-time in the meantime.
Lamond Murray made a brief stop in Cleveland during his 11-year career in the NBA. In three seasons, he was a threat from inside and outside the arc. He did more than enough in his time to be considered a solid forward. So he’s where the list begins.
Murray joined the team after being traded from the Los Angeles Clippers in the 1999 offseason for Johnny Newman and Derek Anderson. Through three seasons, he averaged a career-high 15.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
He shot over 40 percent from 3-point range for the first time in his career during the 2001-02 season, going 42.4 percent from behind the arc. During the same year, he recorded a career-high 40 points against the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 2, 2002.
In a 113-98 victory, he shot 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) from the field with three made 3-pointers in the contest. That season, he averaged a career-high 16.6 points per game, while nearly shooting better from 3-point land when compared to his overall field-goal range.
After missing the 2002-03 season due to injury, he was traded once again to the Toronto Raptors. Approaching the end of the road, Cleveland was lucky to get the most out of Murray when they could.
Randy Smith was only listed at 6-foot-3, but his 180-pound frame allowed him to play on the wing for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 1979 to 1981. He was traded to the Cavaliers by the then-San Diego Clippers during the 1979 offseason. As a seasoned veteran, he was one of the more experienced wings for Cleveland upon joining the team.
Smith distinguished himself from others on this list with his ability to make plays for others, as well as himself. He averaged 16.1 points, 4.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per contest through 164 appearances. In his first year (1979-80), he was second on the team in assists per game (4.4), a couple shy of Foots Walker who led the way with 8.0 assists per game.
Smith wasn’t a sharpshooter from behind the arc. But inside of it, he got the job done. With 14.4 shot attempts per game, he was 45.8 percent shooting from the floor in his two short seasons with the Cavaliers.
He didn’t crack the 40-point plateau as he did with his previous club, but he came close. He put up 36 points against the San Antonio Spurs back on Jan. 11, 1980, though it came in a loss. Despite the result, Smith went 13-of-24 (54.2 percent) shooting from the field.
While he was productive, the team overall was not. After finishing below .500 two seasons in a row, a change was needed. This triggered a trade involving Smith once again, this time to the New York Knicks for a 1981 first-round draft pick in the 1981 offseason. Approaching the end of his career, it was for the best as the front office got some value for him on their end.
After terrorizing the league as a member of the then-Seattle SuperSonics with Gary Payton for eight seasons, Shawn Kemp joined the Cavaliers as part of a three-team blockbuster trade in the 1997 offseason. Kemp only spent three short seasons with the Cavaliers, but his presence around the rim and as a force inside was of good use.
He made the sixth and final All-Star appearance of his career in his first year (1997-98) with Cleveland. The 6-foot-9 brute produced 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest from 1998-2000. The schedule was cut short during the abbreviated 1998-99 lockout season, but he still produced despite showing up to camp out of shape.
Kemp put up a career-high 20.5 points per game along with 9.5 rebounds per contest, but the Cavaliers finished the season with a 22-28 record and missed the playoffs. He missed the final eight games of the season dealing with a foot injury.
He did manage to make one postseason appearance with them in 1999, though it came in an first-round exit. Kemp still averaged 26.0 points and 10.3 rebounds per contest, but it wasn’t enough.
His third season went decently but at 30 years old, Kemp seemed to be out of juice. After the team went 32-50 in 1999-00, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers. In Portland, his star fizzled even more. However in Cleveland, it was a positive end to a decorated career.
In three quick seasons, 6-foot-9 forward Cliff Robinson made quite the name for himself as one of the best rebounders in the NBA. Robinson appeared in just 180 games with the Cavaliers and it was his productivity that was hard to deny. Robinson played with six different teams across the league, but with each one, much like Cleveland, he made his presence felt.
He put up 17.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game from 1982 to 1984, starting in 174 of 180 contests. 84 of his 142 double-doubles came as a member of the Cavaliers. He recorded a career-high 40 double-doubles during the 1982-83 season, along with four 20-rebound performances.
Robinson snagged 20 or more rebounds in six contests spanning across his time with Cleveland. He recorded a career-high 23 rebounds twice during the 1982-83 season, showing just how much of a rebounding machine he was. He had 33 games with 10 rebounds or more and 11 with 15 rebounds or more.
When he wasn’t being a terror on the glass, Robinson also knew how to fill it up. During the 1982-83 season, he also recorded a team-best 40 points in a tough 132-124 victory over the Indiana Pacers. He put up 40 points on 19-of-28 (67.9 percent) shooting from the floor while also snagging 12 rebounds.
On 16 field goal attempts per game, he shot 47.7 percent from the field in arguably his best season in a Cavaliers uniform. Robinson scored at least 30 points in four other contests during that year. His short stint with Cleveland was a memorable one, though it lacked any playoff appearances.
Tyrone Hill was indispensable as a power forward for the Cavaliers. So much so that he had two different stints with them. At 6-foot-9, Hill played bigger than advertised, becoming a walking double-double for the Cleveland franchise. He became a member of the squad after being traded from the Golden State Warriors for a 1994 first-round draft pick.
Hill made his only All-Star appearance during the 1994-95 season with the Cavaliers. He averaged 13.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, both career highs. During that season, he also recorded a career-high 37 double-doubles.
In arguably the best season of his career, Hill found himself in a good place. Cleveland was in the midst of a playoff streak, making their fourth-straight playoff appearance since reaching the 1992 Eastern Conference Finals. They lost in the first round in Hill’s first two seasons before not making them entirely during the 1996-97 campaign.
When he wasn’t scoring around the basket, Hill could be found snagging boards. He racked up a career-high 20 rebounds back on Nov. 20, 1994. He recorded at least 20 rebounds with four different NBA teams during his journeyman career.
Through six seasons with Cleveland, he produced 10.8 points and 9.2 rebounds, while shooting 52.1 percent from the field. He didn’t take a bunch of shots, but when he did, he was efficient with his shooting. If he wasn’t attempting field goals, he was rebounding. Hill currently ranks 11th in franchise history in rebounds (2,785) and offensive rebounds (737).
In the latter stages of his career, Antawn Jamison showed promise on a few title contenders. One of those contenders was the Cavaliers. The 6-foot-9 forward brought new meaning to the term stretch-4, emerging as one of the best inside-outside threats in the league.
He joined Cleveland via trade from the Washington Wizards during the 2009-10 season as a catalyst to a title run. With LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal already in the rotation, Jamison was brought in with the idea of spreading the floor from 3-point range.
In the first attempt, Cleveland lost in the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals, 4-2. While Jamison put up 11.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in the series, but shot just 18.8 percent from behind the arc. There wasn’t a second chance, as James joined the Miami Heat that following offseason, leaving Jamison in tow.
Jamison led the team in scoring the following season (18.0 points per game), but Cleveland went just 19-63 in 2010-11. They improved their win-total by two in 2011-12, but with free agency approaching, it was no surprise Jamison left for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In roughly three seasons, he produced 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 34.3 percent from 3-point range. He joined the team at the age of 33 and putting up big numbers wasn’t in his plans.
His stint could have gone better, but it could have gone a lot worse, too. It wasn’t the right fit after James’ departure came unexpectedly, but he still managed to get a playoff appearance out of it.
Ricky Davis had a short run with the Cavaliers, but it’s worthy of mentioning. He comes in as the ninth-best forward, although he’s also considered a guard. He began his time with Cleveland coming off the bench, appearing in all 82 games. But by next season, he earned a starting nod.
As a starter, Davis poured in a career-high 20.6 points along with 5.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. Without a star and little direction, he averaged a team-high 18.6 shots per game.
Despite the positive production from Davis, Cleveland went 17-65 during the 2002-03 season. Davis was the lone bright spot in an otherwise down season that also saw Keith Smart act as an interim head coach.
His career-high of 45 points came against the Milwaukee Bucks in a 140-133 double-overtime loss on Dec. 9, 2002. Davis shot 16-of-33 (48.5 percent) from the floor and 6-of-8 from 3-point range in the bitter defeat.
He put up a career-high 12 assists twice during that season as well against the Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons. With nine rebounds in both games, he was eerily close to achieving triple-doubles in those games, too.
For his part, Davis did his best where he could, achieving 11 double-doubles, double-figures in assists nine times, three 40+ point performances and six 30+ point performances.
While his teams weren’t very good, he still managed to shoot 43.4 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from 3-point range. He ended his career with Cleveland averaging 16.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
Wesley Person had quite the journeyman career as an NBA player, but his time with the Cavaliers proved productive. In his first season with Cleveland, he led the league in 3-pointers made (192) and attempted (447), while shooting 43 percent from behind the arc.
At 6-foot-6, Person had the ability to shoot from deep and get to the rim in his repertoire. He was drafted by the Phoenix Suns originally as the 23rd overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft. After three seasons in Phoenix, Person was shipped to Cleveland as part of a blockbuster trade involving Antonio McDyess.
The Cavaliers was one of the more productive spots for Person during his career. He matched his career-high of 33 points, originally set in Phoenix, twice as a member of the Cavaliers. His career-high of eight 3-pointers came in a 98-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers back on Feb. 17, 1998.
Person shot at least 40 percent or better from 3-point land in four of his five seasons spent with the team. For his career, he ranks 12th all-time in league history in 3-point field goal percentage.
As one of the early 3-point shooters to establish themselves in the NBA, it’s hard not to mention him among the best forwards to play for the Cavaliers, given his versatility.
After his stint with Cleveland, Person went on to play for five more teams across the league before ending his career with the Denver Nuggets in the 2004-05 season.
6-foot-8 forward Phil Hubbard is another forward on the list that shows off the versatility of the Cavaliers. While Hubbard was known as a back-to-the-basket guy, he wasn’t shy about working outside of the paint, especially on defense.
He got his start in the league with the Detroit Pistons as the 15th overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. After four seasons with Detroit, he was traded to the Cavaliers during the 1981-82 season.
Hubbard went on to spend the next eight seasons with the Cavaliers, averaging 10.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, while shooting 49.9 percent from the field. However, he wasn’t big on volume, averaging only 7.8 shot attempts per game across eight years.
In the season he did average double-figure shot attempts (1984-85), he produced a career-high 15.8 points per game. During that season, he put up 37 points, also a career-high for him, against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in a 116-112 loss.
Hubbard was 15-for-21 (71.4 percent) from the field and 7-for-7 from the free throw line off the bench, albeit in a losing effort. His other 30-point effort came in a victory against the Indiana Pacers. He shot 11-of-14 (78.6 percent) from the floor in that game.
Hubbard did manage to make three postseason appearances with the Cavaliers, but all of those series ended in first-round exit for Cleveland. When his playing career came to an end, Hubbard entered the coaching ranks, joining the Washington Wizards’ coaching staff from 2003 to 2009 and later the Los Angeles D-Fenders staff from 2014 to 2015.
Versatile big man Kevin Love is probably one of the more underappreciated players in franchise history. He’s entering his fifth season with the Cavaliers, but will be without LeBron James for the first time in Cleveland. This should produce some intriguing statistics for Love. It shouldn’t be difficult for him though, as his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves would indicate.
Before Cleveland, Love was averaging 19.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest with the Timberwolves for six seasons. While there, he earned the Most Improved Player award during the 2010-11 season. Love put up 20.2 points and a league-best 15.2 rebounds per game that year.
He was originally drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies after being selected fifth overall in the 2008 NBA Draft, but was dealt to Minnesota in a draft-day deal involving O.J. Mayo. With James rejoining the Cavaliers in 2014, it triggered a trade for Love from Minnesota to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal.
Love has adjusted to playing second fiddle to James, making four playoff appearances in their four seasons together. In their second season, James along with Love and Kyrie Irving won the team’s first NBA title in franchise history in 2016. Love struggled in his tertiary role, but did enough to help the team out, as James and Irving carried the scoring load.
With James gone now though, Love will have an opportunity to take over as scoring option No. 1. He’s already fourth in franchise history in 3-pointers made (589), 12th in franchise history in rebounds (2,748) and 19th in points (4,705). By the end of his tenure, those ranks should change dramatically as “The Man” in Cleveland now.
Small forward Mike Mitchell didn’t play his whole career with the Cavaliers, but it’s where he got his start before becoming a member of the San Antonio Spurs. Mitchell was a pure and efficient scorer during his career, breaking out for 22.2 points per game in just his second season in the league.
In his third year, Mitchell earned his first and only nod to the 1981 NBA All-Star Game, while averaging a career-high 24.5 points per game. Mitchell led the NBA in field goals attempted (1,791) during the 1980-81 season. He scored with volume that year, putting up a career-high 21.8 field goal attempts per game as well.
In the year prior, he poured in a career-high 46 points on 20-of-36 (55.6 percent) shooting from the floor, along with 14 rebounds against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8, 1980. He also posted 40 points against the Detroit Pistons and recorded 13 games with 30 points or more in the same season.
Mitchell was a scoring machine although he didn’t play in any postseason games during his tenure with the Cavaliers. He did go on to make six postseason appearances with the Spurs. Mitchell was traded to the Spurs during the 1981-82 season in hopes of turning things around for Cleveland.
In four seasons with the Cavaliers, he produced 19.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest, while shooting 49.5 percent from the floor through 271 appearances. Though his time with the Cavaliers was cut short, his impact could have been felt more if Cleveland was a playoff contender.
Robert “Bingo” Smith was one of the more versatile players in the Cavaliers rotation back in his day. At 6-foot-5, Smith had the ability to play the wing, as well as the off-guard position with his playmaking ability.
Originally drafted by the then-San Diego Rockets during the 1969 NBA Draft as the sixth overall pick, Smith was later drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 1970 expansion draft after his rookie season. He ended up spending 10 seasons with Cleveland, making three playoff appearances that included a deep run in the 1976 playoffs.
During the 1976 NBA Playoffs, Smith led the Cavaliers with a career-high 27 points in a decisive Game 4 victory over the Boston Celtics, 106-87, to even the series at 2-2. They ended up losing the series, but Smith made his impact felt with that performance.
In his time with the Cavaliers, Smith averaged 13.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists as an all-around playmaker for the team. His best season came in 1974-75 when he averaged 15.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per contest, while shooting a career-high 48.3 percent from the floor.
The only 40+ point game of his career came during that season, although he did come close with two 30-point games as well. On Nov. 6, 1974, Smith racked up a career-high 41 points on 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) shooting from the field.
Smith’s No.7 jersey currently hangs in the rafters, as one of the original members of the Cavaliers. He’ll go down as one of those players who set the tone for this franchise in a positive direction during the early days of its existence.
Michael Campanella (Campy) Russell is a recognizable face if you’re familiar with the Cavaliers broadcast crew. Russell currently serves as a TV analyst on the FOX Sports Ohio pregame and postgame show, as well as the Director of Alumni Relations for the franchise. Before that though, he was a dominant player on the hardwood.
Russell was drafted eighth overall in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Cavaliers out of the University of Michigan. Back when leaving school early was less popular, Campy had other plans after averaging 23.7 points and 11.1 rebounds as a junior with the Michigan Wolverines.
He was eased gradually into his role with Cleveland, averaging just 11.1 minutes of action as a rookie, but things changed for him down the line. Russell put up 15.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game during his second year in the league, as he instantly became a key piece in the rotation.
During his lone All-Star season (1978-79) with the Cavaliers, he put up a career-high 21.9 points along with 6.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.
A knee injury unfortunately ended Russell’s career early but he left behind a considerable number of accolades. For his career, he averaged 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
He was part of a team that won the first ever Central Division title in team history, alongside current co-analyst and former teammate Austin Carr, Jim Chones, Bingo Smith and Nate Thurmond.
He currently ranks 10th all-time in franchise history in points (6.588) and field goals made (2,480). His stat-sheeting stuffing days may be over, but his legacy remains in Cleveland sports lore.
Before Larry Nance Jr., there was his 6-foot-10 father Larry Nance. Ironically, the younger Nance just signed a contract extension with the Cleveland franchise after being traded to them last season. The elder Nance carried his weight as an All-Star and defensive stopper for the Cavaliers during his tenure with the franchise.
Nance joined the squad after being traded from the Phoenix Suns during the 1987-88 campaign. He won the first ever NBA Dunk Contest with the Suns during the 1983-84 season.
With Cleveland, he was an instant impact player on both ends of the floor. He produced 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.2 steals per contest in seven seasons with the Cavaliers.
Two of his three All-Star appearances (1989 and 1993) came with the Cavaliers. He was named to three All-Defensive teams, during the 1988-89 season and in back-to-back seasons in 1991-92 and in 1992-93.
On Sept. 22, 1994, Nance retired from professional basketball as a member of the Cavaliers. That wasn’t the end though, as his number was eventually retired. His No. 22 jersey is one of seven numbers retired for the Cleveland Cavaliers, although he recently gave his son the nod to wear his number.
While he wasn’t a sharpshooter from 3-point range like so many other forwards in the league these days, Nance was efficient anywhere within field goal range. He shot 53.2 percent from field goal range during his career and ranks third all-time in franchise history in blocks (1,087), eighth in rebounds (3,561) and ninth in both points (7,527) and field goals made (2,945).
LeBron James is currently a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, but he’s bound to end his career in a Cavaliers jersey. Don’t be surprised if his number ends up hanging in the rafters after multiple stops in The Land. James led Cleveland to its only NBA title, as well as five appearances in the NBA Finals during his 12 years with the Cavaliers.
He won the NBA scoring title during the 2007-08 season, averaging a career-high 30.0 points per game. During that year, he racked up two 50+ point games, five 40+ point games, along with seven triple-doubles in just his fourth season in the league.
James was an all-around player in his time with Cleveland. He currently ranks first all-time in franchise history in points (23,119), rebounds (6,190), assists (6,228), steals (1,376), field goals made (8,369) and 3-pointers made (1,251). It’ll be tough sledding passing him in the stat book for those that come behind him.
As the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, James became the changing face of a franchise the moment he stepped on the floor. He produced 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.6 steals per contest through 849 appearances for the team. While he did briefly leave and join the Miami Heat, his return in 2014 led to the team’s first NBA title in franchise history in 2016.
In his final season with the Cavaliers, James showed no signs of slowing down at the age of 34. He put up a career-high 52 double-doubles and 18 triple-doubles en route to his eighth-straight NBA Finals appearance split evenly between the Heat and Cavaliers at four-straight apiece. There’s possibly more to come while he’s with the Lakers but for now, James remains as the best forward in Cavaliers history.