Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 Best Cavaliers Players since 2000

The Cleveland Cavaliers have hosted some of the best players ever to play the game. However, the same hasn't converted to multiple Championships for the franchise along its illustrious timeline in the league.

The lone bright spot in the Cavaliers legacy being the 2016 Finals when the team came back from 3-1 down in the series to take the title. The Championship broke the 52-year drought in Cleveland and meant that LeBron James kept his promise to the city.

Throughout the talented line of players who have donned the wine-n-gold, some have really stood out in the modern era of the NBA landscape. Let's take a look at some of the best Cavaliers since the year 2000.

Honorable Mention:

Anderson Varejao(2004-2016)

Anderson Varejao was drafted by the Orlando Magic.

Varejao was traded to the Cavs in July of 2004 and ended up playing over 11 seasons with the franchise. During the 2012-13 season, he averaged a career-high 14.1 points and 14.4 rebounds (another career-high) per game.

Originally from Brazil, Varejao became a fan favourite in Cleveland, playing center/power-forward for the Cavaliers. He was named to the All-NBA Defensive Second team in 2010 and was also a former Euroleague Champion in 2003.

Known for his hustle and lively nature on the court, he became a symbol of the Cleveland franchise loved by all. In February of 2016, he signed with the Golden State Warriors and laid end to his distinguished Cavaliers legacy.

#1 LeBron James(2003-2010, 2014-2018)

LeBron James won one of his three championships with the Cavs.

The Cavaliers picked LeBron as the first overall pick of the 2003 draft and the rest is history written in golden words. The King spent his first seven seasons in Cleveland, bagging six All-Star berths and a Rookie of the Year award.

"The Decision" to leave his city and join the forces of Bosh and Wade down in Miami met with huge backlash, but this relationship was far from being severed. James returned in 2014 after having won two Championships with the Heat and tipped off the sequel to his Cavaliers legacy.

In 2016, He led the team to the city's first major sports title in 52 years. Before signing with the Lakers in 2018, James had been averaging 27.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.6 steals during his time as a Cavalier. He was an All-Star in each and every season he played in Cleveland(except his rookie season) and is widely referred to as the Greatest Cavalier of all time.

#2 Kevin Love(2014-present)

Kevin Love recently signed a 4-year/$120M extension with the Cavaliers.

Love was averaging at least 25 points and 12 rebounds in Minnesota when he was traded to the Cavaliers in the year 2014. From being a star with the Timberwolves to becoming the third-best in Cleveland, Love never saw it as a letdown, rather made the most of it. He was a key part of the 2016 Championship-winning side, averaging over 15 points and 9 rebounds in the playoffs that year.

The 6-foot-10 power forward is a 2-time All-Star so far while playing for the Cavs and is someone that takes charge of rebounding and scoring from the perimeter on a nightly basis.

He is averaging 17.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, 37.7 percent 3-point FGs during his time with the franchise he has won his one and only title with.

#3 Zydrunas Ilgauskas(1997-2010)

Zydrunas Ilgauskas was a two-time All-Star back in 2003 & 2005.

Zydrunas played all his NBA seasons but one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and is their career leader in blocks and rebounds. Ever since joining the team in 1996, his skill to shoot well from distance despite his size amazed players like LeBron James who played with him.

Often referred to as Z, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Rookie Challenge during the 1998 All-Star weekend. A left foot injury kept him out for a couple of seasons but he made a solid return to average a career-high 17 points per game in 2002-03 and was named an All-Star for the first time.

Ilgauskas retired after 13 seasons(having played his last season with the Miami Heat) without an NBA title to his name, but left behind an illustrious legacy.

#4 Kyrie Irving(2011-2017)

Kyrie Irving is one of the greatest ball handlers ever produced by the game.

After being drafted 1st overall by the Cavaliers back in 2011, Kyrie Irving made a reputation for himself through his gritty plays and effortless ball handling skills. He was the 2012 Rookie of the Year and already a 2-time All-Star before the King recognised his talent.

When LeBron joined a 22-year-old Irving in Cleveland, none of the spectators had any idea of what they were capable of doing together. Kyrie averaged over 25 points in the postseason leading to his first NBA title with Bron, with the highlights being the 41-point explosion in Game 5 and the dagger three-pointer in Game 7 to ice the game.

Before he joined the Celtics in 2017, Uncle Drew was averaging 21.6 points, 5.5 assists & 1.3 steals in a Cavaliers uniform.

#5 Tristan Thompson(2011-present)

Tristan was the highest drafted Canadian player of his time.

Thompson was drafted 4th overall by the Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft and is currently playing his eighth straight season with the franchise. He was the Big 12 freshmen of the year in 2011 and was named to the All-Rookie second team in 2012.

Tristan played a huge role in the 2016 Championship run averaging over nine rebounds and almost one block per game that postseason.

He's averaging a double-double in his latest season with the Cavs this year, despite the team going through a rough patch in the post-LeBron era.