In the NBA’s long timeline of what-ifs, the early 2000s Cleveland Cavaliers deserve their own chapter.
A young LeBron James. A high-flying Darius Miles. A wild mix of talent like Ricky Davis, Carlos Boozer, Dajuan Wagner, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. On paper, it looked promising. But as Darius Miles tells it — the vision never matched the execution.
It was great, man. LeBron was amazing,” Miles told me. “I was there the year before, and I got a chance to see his senior year, and I’d never seen anybody who had an impact like how I had an impact until I saw him. I feel like there were levels; KG had an impact, all these people had an impact, and then I came out of nowhere and had a big impact. That’s how I broke history — the generation was coming right behind me and just to see LeBron and his maturity, the people he has around him, his family, his friends, the way [he] carried [himself] man, it was a blessing to play with him.”
LeBron’s arrival meant big expectations for Cleveland, but the Cavs — still figuring out how to manage such a young and talented roster — couldn’t quite keep up with their own hype.
I think him playing with us — with me and Ricky and them — they didn’t know what to do,” Miles said. “I don’t think they would’ve known what to do. I think Paul Silas — I love him as a man, I love him as a coach, I love his son and his family — he was just a little old school for what we had.”
Old school was an understatement. Miles pointed to the roster’s energy and youth — himself at 22, LeBron at 18, Ricky Davis in his early 20s, Boozer fresh out of Duke, and young guns like Wagner and Diop — as completely misaligned with Silas’ system.
“You know, we had LeBron who was 18. I was 20-21,” Miles said. “Ricky Davis was in his early 20s. You had Carlos Boozer who just came from Duke. You had Dajuan Wagner, DeSagana Diop. We were a young team but with an old-school-type play.”
Miles, who was used as a point guard that year, admitted the fit never quite made sense.
I think him playing with us — with me and Ricky and them — they didn’t know what to do,” Miles said. “I don’t think they would’ve known what to do. I think Paul Silas — I love him as a man, I love him as a coach, I love his son and his family — he was just a little old school for what we had.”
Old school was an understatement. Miles pointed to the roster’s energy and youth — himself at 22, LeBron at 18, Ricky Davis in his early 20s, Boozer fresh out of Duke, and young guns like Wagner and Diop — as completely misaligned with Silas’ system.
“You know, we had LeBron who was 18. I was 20-21,” Miles said. “Ricky Davis was in his early 20s. You had Carlos Boozer who just came from Duke. You had Dajuan Wagner, DeSagana Diop. We were a young team but with an old-school-type play.”
Miles, who was used as a point guard that year, admitted the fit never quite made sense.
