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Ranking the 12 worst trades in Cleveland Cavaliers history

By Josh Cornelissen

James Worthy#42, Small Forward and Power Forward for the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA Pacific Division basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on 15th February 1994 at the Great Western Forum arena in Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Los Angeles Clippers won the game 100 - 89. (Photo by J.D. Cuban/Allsport/Getty Images)
James Worthy#42, Small Forward and Power Forward for the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA Pacific Division basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers on 15th February 1994 at the Great Western Forum arena in Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, United States. The Los Angeles Clippers won the game 100 - 89. (Photo by J.D. Cuban/Allsport/Getty Images) /
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Cleveland Cavaliers
Andre Miller, Cleveland Cavaliers. Photo credit should read DAVID MAXWELL/AFP/Getty Images /

Worst Trade No. 9: Swapping Andre Miller for a bust

Younger fans of the Cavaliers and the NBA may not realize that Andre Miller, more affectionately known as “The Professor” by fans, started his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers after going eighth overall in the 1999 NBA Draft. He played three seasons for the Cavs, leading the league in assists in his third season and receiving votes for an All-NBA berth (he finished 20th).

Then the Cavaliers inexplicably traded Miller to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2002. The Clippers had a young forward drafted right out of high school, Darius Miles, and the Cavs decided they had to have him. In an all-time quote, Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson said at the time “Darius Miles was the player we coveted in this deal…sometimes you have to make bold moves to get better in the future.” Or, you know, make dumb moves to get worse in the future.

Clippers GM Elgin Baylor likely was cackling as he dialed the phone number for the league office to call in the trade. He said publicly that the trade was made easier because they were getting one of the five best point guards in the league. He was right! Miller may have never made an All-Star team, but he is one of the best players in league history not to do so, and he had a long and successful career that spanned another 14 seasons.

Miles, on the other hand, didn’t last so long. He averaged 9.2 points per game the rest of that season and lasted just 104 games in total before the Cavs dumped him on the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004. That’s a top-5 point guard for an undisciplined washout. Welcome to the list of worst trades, Jim Paxson!