This list gets the Top 10 Cleveland Cavaliers right but the order wrong

Fadeaway World ranked their picks for the Top 10 Cleveland Cavaliers of all-time

Asking who the Top 10 Cleveland Cavaliers of all time are is going to get you a range of responses, but not a load of options. See, the Cavs have a long history but only recently could you argue that it’s become “rich”. For the longest time, guys like Lamond Murray and Shawn Kempt were seen as franchise greats, simply because the team didn’t have anyone else.

Then came Lebron James and expectations changed. Since the days of Murray and Kemp, four of the team’s 10 best players have debuted for the Cavs, and names like Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland may be on their way to earning a spot. That will make the conversation far more interesting and varied.

We’re not there yet, and until then the same 10 names are probably going to be the same for everyone, or very very close. Fade Away World posted their top 10 and honestly, I think it’s the right 10. I just don’t agree with their order. So who did they put where?

"10. Terrell Brandon9. Hot Rod Williams8. Austin Carr7. Zydrunas Ilgauskas6. Kevin Love5. Larry Nance4. Brad Daugherty3. Kyrie Irving2. Mark Price1. LeBron James"

How the Top 10 Cleveland Cavaliers should actually look like

10. Terrell Brandon

Yeah, it’s hard to argue that Brandon shouldn’t be on this list. He’s not a franchise all-time great if we’re talking the Lakers or Heat but alas, the Cavs don’t have that kind of history.

9. John “Hot Rod” Williams

Never an All-Star but John Williams, aka Hot Rod, was the do-it-all enforcer in the low-post for those late 80s and early 90s teams. He wasn’t a goon like in hockey, but Williams was the more physical presence next to Brad Daugherty.

8. Austin Carr

Austin Carr makes the squad over someone like World B. Free simply due to well he played in Cleveland for how long. Nine years in the 70s for that Cavs team is like being a companion in Dante’s Divine Comedy. Respect.

7. Larry Nance

Despite being beloved, people often fail to remember that his best years were in Phoenix. He played great ball in Cleveland and was key on many of those 80s and 90s teams, but Nance was healthier and more efficient with Phoenix.

6. Kyrie Irving

Putting Kyrie Irving sixth may be blaspheme, but we’ve seen him time and time again fail to lead a team without LeBron James or Kevin Durant by his side. This is a guy who has always needed superstars around him just to make the playoffs. While he has great handles and scores so easily, he does so in an era where the offense is given priority. If he scores 25 a game, he may very well give up 28. He’s the prototype of what’s wrong with the NBA. Yeah, he hit a few big shots, but this isn’t just about his best career moments, but also his worst.

5. Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Zydrunas Ilgauskas may have been not only the most skilled big man in Cavaliers history but NBA history (not named Dirk Nowitzki). Yet, injuries derailed him. He still had a great career, and was LeBron James’ only real second-option against the San Antonio Spurs in 2007, but had he been healthier longer, he would’ve been in the Top 3 of this list easily.

4. Kevin Love

It can’t be disputed that Kevin Love is a mercurial player at times. He’s posted better numbers in Minnesota as their number one, but as the Cavs number two and three at times, he’s posted much better performances. Love’s legacy with Cleveland isn’t done and I fully expect him to solidify his spot in the Top 4 this season. The Sixth-Man Era of Love will ultimately define how he’s perceived and if he continues to go all out in the future as he did in 2021-2022, then no one will debate his place.

3. Mark Price

Mark Price was more talented than Brad Daugherty and had he played in 2022, Price and Steph Curry would be neck and neck for the best shooters in the NBA. Yet, that’s not the reality. The reality is that Price didn’t play in an era that favored shooting, and that hurt his overall standing. That said, he is the Cavs’ best shooter of all time.

2. Brad Daugherty

Had it not been for nagging back injuries that ended Brad Daughterty’s career prematurely, the Cavaliers would have won an NBA title with him as the centerpiece, I’m sure of it. In an era of big men, few were as good as Daugherty and his legacy on the franchise is indelible

1. LeBron James

I mean, duh.