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Cleveland Cavaliers: 15 greatest draft steals in franchise history

By John Buhler

Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
Zydrunas Ilgauskas of the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Andre Miller, Cleveland Cavaliers
Andre Miller, Cleveland Cavaliers /
  • Three seasons w/Cavaliers (1999-02)
  • NBA season assists leader (2001-02)
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team (1999-00)
  • 245 career games w/Cavaliers
  • 14.5 points, 8.2 assists, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists per game w/Cavaliers

Andre Miller had a lengthy 17-year NBA career, playing for nine franchises along the way into nearly his 40s. He’s probably best remembered for being the starting point guard for the Denver Nuggets during the peak Carmelo Anthony era in the Mile High City, but he first played professionally in Cleveland.

After a stellar college career playing for Rick Majerus at the University of Utah, where he would be a consensus All-American in 1999, the Cavaliers used the No. 8 pick to select Miller in the 1999 NBA Draft. He would go on to play his first three NBA seasons in Northeast Ohio.

In total, Miller suited up for the Cavaliers 245 times, making 199 starts for them. The only team he played more games for over his long NBA career would be in Denver. Even though he is best associated with being a Nugget, Miller had arguably some of his best seasons playing for the Cavaliers.

Miller made the All-Rookie First Team in 1999-00, as he averaged 11.1 points, 5.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game in 25.5 minutes per contest. He would start all 82 games the next season in 2000-01, increasing his season averages to 15.8 points, 8.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 34.7 minutes per contest.

Proving to be well worth the No. 8 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, Miller’s numbers got even better in 2001-02. He led the league in assists per game with 10.9, as well as improving to 16.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest. Unfortunately, this would be Miller’s last year playing for the Cavaliers.

Before his fourth season in the NBA, Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers along with Bryant Stith for Darius Miles and Harold Jamison. Miller lasted only one season in Los Angeles before signing with Denver as a free agent. Though Denver clearly got the better end of the 2002 deal, at least the Cavaliers got three excellent years out of their former first-round point guard.