2016 Cavs 10 Years Later: Where Are They Now?

Ten years after the 2016 Cavaliers engineered one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history, defeating the 67-15 Golden State Warriors in seven games, it’s time to check in on the key players from that unforgettable run.

In the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 deficit, winning four straight games to stun the Warriors and capture their first league title since 1964. The Cavaliers’ improbable victory was sparked by LeBron James’ 41-point triple-double in Game 7 and Kyrie Irving’s four-game winning streak that included a 41-point explosion in Game 7.

But the Cavaliers’ championship wasn’t just a remarkable underdog story – it also marked a turning point in NBA history. The 2016 title was the first since the 1998 Chicago Bulls, ending a 17-year drought for the Eastern Conference. It also marked a new era of parity in the NBA, as the Cavs’ improbable title run showed that any team, no matter how deep the odds seemed, could make a championship run.

The players from that 2016 Cavaliers team have all taken different paths since their championship season. LeBron James left Cleveland for a second stint with the Miami Heat, before returning to the Cavaliers in 2014. He left again in 2018, this time for the Los Angeles Lakers. Kyrie Irving, who was traded to the Boston Celtics in 2017, has become one of the most dominant scorers in the league. Timofey Mozgov, the Cavaliers’ starting center during their championship run, was waived by the Cavaliers in 2017 and has since played for the Charlotte Hornets and the Houston Rockets. Channing Frye, the Cavaliers’ veteran big man, has been a free agent for the past two years but has yet to sign with a team.

As the Cavaliers’ players look to the future, they’re also reflecting on the past. ‘It’s crazy to think that it’s been 10 years since we won the championship,’ LeBron James said in a recent interview. ‘I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I’m still trying to process how we were able to overcome the odds and win it all.’

With the next NBA season just around the corner, the question on everyone’s mind is – can this year’s Cavaliers make a similar run to the top? With a new-look roster and a rejuvenated coaching staff, the team is looking to build on last season’s promising performance and make another deep playoff run.