I'm a Cavs fan, afterall

Kyrie Irving leads the Cavs (photo: GQ)

So as I reopen B3 as an all-purpose, Cleveland Sports thread once again, I can't help but reenter the fray discussing my good friend LeBron James. For those of you that live in a hole, LeBron James has long since taken his talents to South Beach, and after last night's game, has made it to the NBA finals for two complete seasons.

My journey as an NBA fan has gone in a bit of a different direction than LeBron's hunt for "not one...not two...not three...not four...not five...not six...not seven...". Last season, while still supporting the Cavaliers, my NBA journey leaned towards the "I'm a fan of every team that beats the Heat." While the public outside of Cleveland (and inside as well) that kept telling me that I shouldn't be mad at LeBron for leaving the Cavs, I didn't, and I don't really have any explanation better than that.  I would have been pissed off had he left in any fashion. My thoughts on what I think about the decision are secondary, to be honest, since that has already played out, and I'm far beyond that at this point...well...to some extent I am.

The Cavs journey in 2011 took them through a season which we would all like to forget, but they went to the draft lottery after that horrid season and brought back with them the first round pick and the fourth round pick. The first pick turned into point guard Kyrie Irving, and the fourth pick turned into power forward Tristan Thompson. Irving was a given, and Thompson more of a gamble.

Before we could find out just how good these players might be, the NBA, the owners and the player's union took center stage, as a lockout became reality, and basketball became secondary. There really weren't any good sides to all of this, except for fans like myself, who was still in a land of discontent. Still, my focus went from hating a player and a team, to curiosity at the new players coming to Cleveland.

Kyrie Irving turned out to be a dynamic point guard, averaging 18.5 point a game, 5.4 assists per game, and 3.7 rebounds per game. He shot 40% from three-point land, shot 47% overall from the field, and was everything the Cavs wanted. He won the rookie of the year honors.

Tristan Thompson turned into the project that many thought he'd be. Overall, he averaged 8.2 points per game and 6 1/2 boards, and even added a block per game to go along with it. Not bad stats for a rookie at all. His numbers got even better, as he managed 10.4 points per game, with 7 1/2 boards and six double-doubles. So the Cavs began building a good foundation.

They'll add to that foundation this year with the fourth and 24th picks in this year's draft, as well as two high second rounders. Things are good for Cleveland.

Outside of Cleveland, a funny thing happened through the season, as well, and I suppose that's the point of all this. I stopped caring about the Heat and LeBron James. Well, I'm still pissed, and there's a small hope that they'll never win a title, but I don't look for their stat-lines anymore. An even funnier thing happened during the playoffs as Oklahoma City emerged as the team to beat...I started hoping for a Miami/Oklahoma City showdown. As a fan, it's an intriguing match-up, and there really hasn't been much of that over the years.

Last night, the Heat closed out the Celtics in seven. LeBron was unstoppable through much of the playoffs, and willed his team to the finals. There really wasn't much difference between what LeBron did for the Heat, and what he did for the Cavs. Wade has become a secondary guy there, and Bosh didn't even really play. Still, when the "Idiot 3" click, they are tough to beat. Now, they go up against James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City. It's the two best teams, with Big 3's of their own, playing for the title.

Should be an interesting watch as an NBA fan...

...as long as the Thunder win the title...

I mean, c'mon, I wanted the series, but it doesn't mean I've completely changed...

Cavs acquire Antawn Jamison

I know this is a Tribe blog, but as a former Cleveland sports blogger, I'd be remissed if I didn't mention, even in passing, the trade that tonight brought Antawn Jamison to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The three-team trade had the Cleveland Cavaliers sending fan favorite Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the 2010 first-round draft pick and the rights to Slovenian forward Emir Preldzic to the Wizards. The Los Angeles Clippers sent the Cavs point guard Sebastian Telfair and the Wizards forward Al Thornton. The Clippers get former Cav Drew Gooden from the Wizards.

This really is a win-win for the Cavaliers. In acquiring an all-star in Jamison, the Cavs didn't have to give up future all-star J.J. Hickson. Hickson will now be learning under one of the best forwards in the game in Jameson. Hickson, who would be a junior this year at NC State had he stayed in college, nullifies the loss of the 2010 first round pick, which likely will be late anyways. Should the Cavs need to get into the first round, they'll likely be able to do it.

Top this off with a likely scenario that has Ilgauskas buying out his contract, waiting thirty days, and re-signing with the Cavs, and you have what turns out to be a late first-round pick for Jamison and Sebastian Telfair. Telfair is out with a groin injury (I know, sounds painful to me too), but is a pure point guard, and will see playing time with the Cavs.

I'm not convinced the Cavaliers are done. With teams desperate to dump payroll and the deadline looming, the Cavs could make another move. There is the potential that a sign-and-trade for Wally Sczerbiak could bring the Cavs a shooting guard.

Yes, the Cavaliers are going to back the luxury tax, and it will cost them...but owner Dan Gilbert gets that bringing a title to Cleveland may mean making a little less money. The Indians could have used this lesson two years ago.

The move also makes LeBron's decision fairly interesting. Is there another team in the league willing to make the moves that Cavs have over the past two years to get to the finals? The easy answer is no. If LeBron wants to win a title, there isn't a team better prepared to give it to him.

Congrats to the Cavaliers, for finally doing whatever it takes to win a title. Win or lose, they aren't leaving a thing on the table, and you absolutely have to respect that.

Congrats to the Cavaliers for getting the job done.