Cleveland Cavaliers: The all-time ‘ones who got away’ team

Big Men

Carlos Boozer: 35th overall selection (second round), 2002

Stats with Cavs: 12.6 points per game / 9.4 rebounds / 1.6 assists

Career Stats: 16.2 points per game / 9.5 rebounds / 2.2 assists. 2 time all-star. All NBA third team

Carlos Boozer is a tricky case. After his second year in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers said they had a reported handshake agreement in place, in which they wouldn’t pick up his third-year option (worth only around $700,000) and he’d re-sign a six-year deal worth around $40 million.

The Cavs held up their end, but Boozer, once a free agent, spurned them to sign with the Utah Jazz, where he’d go on to being a multiple-time All-Star. In six years in Utah, Boozer averaged 19.3 points per game and 10.5 boards per night. Boozer and Deron Williams formed a dynamic duo in Utah and made it to the Western Conference Finals among multiple playoff berths.

One has to wonder what would have been had the Cavs kept Boozer. A year prior to Boozer’s ugly departure, the Cavs had drafted a young forward named LeBron James. Had the Cavs kept Boozer could he and James have formed a core for a potential championship team? We’ll never know what could have been.

Bill Laimbeer: 65th overall selection (third round), 1979

Stats with the Cavs: 8.6 points per game / 7.4 rebounds / 2 assists

Career Stats: 13.5 points per game / 10.1 rebounds / 2.1 assists. 4-time all-star. 2 time NBA champion. 1 time NBA rebounding Champ.

Bill Laimbeer was most noted for being the muscle behind the Detroit Pistons’ “Bad Boys” teams of the ’80s and early ’90s. Noted for his physical fouls, specifically against Michael Jordan, Laimbeer was a villain to anyone who didn’t cheer for Detroit.

What many don’t realize is that Laimbeer was one of the first big men to shoot the three pointer. At a career clip of 32.5 percent, Laimbeer was an effective pick-and-pop player in an era when big men played more with their back to the basket and didn’t stretch the floor.

Laimbeer was traded midway through his second year in Cleveland for Paul Mokeski, Phil Hubbard and two picks (per Pistons.com all-time transaction history). Laimbeer would go on to be the backbone of an NBA dynasty.

Charles Oakley: Ninth overall selection, 1985 Draft

Career stats: 9.7 points per game /  9.5 rebounds / 2.5 assists. 1 time all start. 2 time all defensive team.

Charles Oakley was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and was drafted by the Cavs… and traded on draft night to the Bulls for Keith Lee and Ennis Whatley (h/t Bleacher Report’s Ross Bentley). Oakley was a second scoring option playing beside Michael Jordan, and was a personal protector for a young Jordan.

After his tenure in Chicago, Oakley played 10 years with the Knicks and provided a defensive presence on teams that featured Patrick Ewing and John Starks. Overall, Oakley played in the league for 19 years as a solid role player.