A Look Back Ten Years

Ten years ago the Cavs were entering a season dealing with the loss of another superstar, that's right Shawn Kemp.  Ironically enough the Miami Heat were involved in a three-team trade that moved Shawn Kemp to Portland, Miami got Brian Grant and his brand new 6 year, $98 million dollar deal.  (Yes they actually paid him that much.)  The Cavs received Chris Gatling, Clarence Weatherspoon and a first round pick, turning out to be the sensational Brendan Haywood.

Yes, ten years ago the Cavs were in post-Kemp trauma and went 32-50.  Led by then up and coming point guard Andre Miller who led the team in points (15.8) and assists (8.0).  Flanking Miller were Jimmy Jackson(11.5 PPG) and Lamond Murray (12.8 PPG), the newly acquired Weatherspoon led the team in rebounds with 9.7.  Zydrunas Ilgauskas was injured and played in only 24 games.  Coming of the Cavs deep bench were Matt Harpring, Wesley Person, rookie Trajan Langdon and the impressive Robert "Tractor" Traylor.

Looking back ten years you get a chance to realize that things aren't as bad as they seem now.  Ten years ago Miller, Langdon and Chris Mihm were the future of the team, frightening I know.  The Cavs hadn't had a winning season since 1997-98 when they went 47-35 and reached the playoffs under the czar, Mike Fratello.  It wasn't for another five seasons until they returned to the playoffs with LeBron in 2005-06.

In all truth the worst had not even come yet, this season was still prior to the 17 win season that landed the Cavs the number one pick and LeBron and they did not have Darius Miles, Jeff McInnis or my personal favorite, Ricky "Patrone" Davis and his avid alcoholism.

So Cavs fans this should serve as a reminder to what was and what the Cavs currently aren't.  At this date ten years ago the Cavs were 15-8 but ten years ago to the day, December 20, 2000 the Cavs lost the first of five straight that sent them into a funk the rest of the season.  Finishing 17-42 with losing streaks of ten games, 1/27/01-2/17/01, and two streaks of seven games, 2/27/01-3/9/01 and 3/26/01-4/7/01.  They only managed one winning streak of more than two games and it reached three, 4/13/01-4/16/01 and were three of the final four games of the season.

To top off this awful season the Cavs drafted DeSagana Diop right out of high school which just extended the losing even more.  Diop is one of the best examples for the NBA keeping its' age limit in this summer's new CBA. 

The present doesn't look so bad now does it?  New coach, some young players and some soon-to-be-traded guys means the Cavs could be relevant again within two seasons.  The beginning of this decade will not be nearly as bad as the beginning of the last one.