The 2015-16 NBA season was likely the greatest season of basketball the city of Cleveland will ever see. Today, the NBA championship makes its home in “The Land” for the first time in history thanks to the leadership of LeBron James. James returned from Miami in 2014, and despite single-handedly leading the Cavaliers to the finals the next season, fell short in his first attempt to capture a championship in Cleveland. James would not be defeated again, however, as thanks to the his leadership, Kevin Love, and Kyrie Irving, the Cavaliers defeated the 73-9 Golden State Warriors to become NBA champions.
After winning their first championship, the Cavaliers spent the summer relaxing and enjoying a well-deserved break. J.R. Smith spent a few days without a shirt and got married, LeBron James spent some time traveling with his family, and Kyrie had fun with other NBA players representing the United States in the 2016 Rio Olympics. After a summer of fun, the regular season once again beckons. The Cavaliers added 4 new players to this season’s roster: Chris Anderson, Kay Felder, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Deandre Liggins. Chris Anderson comes from the Memphis Grizzlies, Kay Felder from Oakland University, Mike Dunleavy Jr. from the Chicago Bulls, and Deandre Liggins from Germany. The Cavaliers were unable to retain the services of Timofey Mozgov, Matthew Dellavedova, Jared Cunningham, Dahntay Jones, and Sasha Kaun. J.R. Smith, the most important member of last year’s team currently unsigned, is in the process of negotiating a new contract with the Cavaliers.
With the adjustment of personnel, this team will likely take some time to bond but should emerge just as strong as last year’s team. However, for this to happen, the Cavaliers will be forced to learn about their teammates and work on and off the court to strengthen relationships. The Cavaliers’ ultimate goal remains unchanged: repeat last year’s success of delivering an NBA championship to Cleveland.