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The ex-files: Former Cleveland Cavaliers players all over NBA playoff rosters | cleveland.com
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/05/the_ex-files_former_cleveland.html

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers' push for the postseason came up short, but the playoffs are full of former Cleveland players and coaches, some of whom -- such as LeBron James and Mo Williams -- are making significant impacts.

Of the 14 remaining teams, 11 have at least one former Cavs player, and a 12th -- Oklahoma City -- has a former Cavalier as a head coach in Scott Brooks.

In fact, if you count Danny Ferry, who is now the Atlanta Hawks president of basketball operations and general manager, and Wayne Embry, now a senior basketball adviser in Toronto, all 14 teams left in the playoffs have some ties to Cleveland.

The Washington Wizards lead the way with former Cavs head coach Randy Wittman now leading the Wizards and former players Drew Gooden and Andre Miller. They are two of the 13 ex-Cavs still playing, 14 if you count the Los Angeles Clippers Jamal Crawford, who was drafted by Cleveland in 2000 and immediately traded to the Chicago Bulls for Chris Mihm and cash. Indiana also has players Andrew Bynum and Donald Sloan.

There also are three former Cavaliers assistants -- Ron Rothstein, Nate Tibbetts and Joe Prunty -- in similar roles with Miami, Portland and Brooklyn, respectively.

Here's a recap of how each of the former Cavs players is doing.

Bynum, Indiana Pacers: Has not played in the playoffs and played just two regular-season games after being traded from Cleveland to Chicago and then waived.

Omri Casspi, Houston Rockets: Has not played in the playoffs but had a solid regular season, averaging 6.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 71 games.

Wayne Ellington, Dallas Mavericks: Has played just three minutes in Game 2 during the first round against San Antonio. Averaged 3.2 points and 8.7 minutes in 45 games during the regular season.

Gooden, Washington Wizards: Saw his minutes drop from 18 a game in the regular season, when he averaged 8.3 points and 5.2 rebounds, to just nine minutes vs. Chicago.

Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs: Still the starting shooting guard, he was the darling of last year's NBA Finals with a record 27 3-pointers. He's averaging just 3.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in the playoffs this season. Interestingly, he led all NBA guards in blocked shots this regular season -- .9 a game.

Ryan Hollins, Los Angeles Clippers: Has barely played after averaging 2.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 7.9 minutes in 61 regular-season games.

LeBron James, Miami Heat: Still the star of the show, averaging 30 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists, while shooting 56 percent, in the playoffs.

Jon Leuer, Memphis Grizzlies: Has played only four scoreless playoff minutes, but averaged career highs of 6.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in 49 regular-season games, including a 23-point, 9-rebound, 3-block night against Phoenix on Dec. 3.

Shaun Livingston, Brooklyn Nets: A starter until Friday's Game 6, Livingston is a key contributor for the Nets, averaging 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

Miller, Washington Wizards: Provided veteran leadership down the stretch, averaging 4.0 points and 1.0 assists.

Sloan, Indiana Pacers: Has not played in the playoffs but was in a career-high 48 regular season games, averaging 2.3 points and 1.0 assists in 8.2 minutes.

Marreese Speights, Golden State Warriors: Averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in the six first-round games so far, after averaging 6.4 points, 3.7 rebounds and 12.4 minutes in 73 regular-season games. Had a career-high 32 points against Philadelphia on Feb. 10.

Williams, Portland TrailBlazers: Portland's most experienced postseason player, he is the Blazers' biggest bench contributor, averaging 9.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He led the NBA in assists off the bench, with 321 during the regular season. Hit a key 3-pointer as Portland rallied from an 11-point deficit against Houston to send Game 4 to overtime, which the Blazers won to take a 3-1 series lead.

I knew that shot was going in when he caught it. He's a phenomenal shooter that was given a TON of space to get that off. I don't care how tall Parsons is, that was too much ground to give up. I saw that (surprise) James Harden told Parsons to switch.

This is a "no duh," but Blake Griffin is an unbelievable athlete. Just an absolutely incredible physical specimen. Maybe not Lebron level, but damn he's only a notch below.

We've been spoiled this first round fellas.

OKC/LAC is going to be great.

I'm going to be so heated if the Spurs don't even get out of the first round...

San Antonio is running Dallas off the court.

Looking at the next series against Portland. SA always gets in series like this. There is an up and coming team that looks incredibly dangerous and the series that they were in before makes the Spurs look like they could lose. Then the Spurs spank them in 5. The last two teams to defeat San Antonio in the playoffs had trios of Durant / Westbrook / Harden and Lebron / Wade / Bosh. It's gonna take an insane effort to beat the Spurs.

Kawhi on Aldridge is going to be fun to watch. I know they won't do it the whole game, but it'll be a treat when it happens. Parker and Lillard one-upping each other will also be fun.

And, then there's Tim, Ginobli, Batum. This is my favorite 2nd round series.

at 6'7 I don't think Leonard is big enough to handle Aldridge...I think that we'll see Leonard on Lillard at times though.

I think the Aldridge assignment will fall on Splitter and Diaw the entire series.

I strongly agree with you. I think Diaw has the foot speed and strength to deny entry passes for Aldridge. His height is a mismatch problem though.

I'm actually pretty interested in this Indy/Washington series..

8-0 start in game 1 for Washington... I have had a hunch for a while that Washington wins this series, and I'm not one to commonly pick underdogs.

Then again, who is the underdog here?

Clippers killing the thunder. The thunder look like a 2 man team. You have to wonder if durant ever wins one in ok city.

That's true...if he gets comfortable on the other 2 yea...They could hit Kawhi with him for a couple/few possessions at a time.

They chose being cheap over potentially winning a title.

With that ownership, doesn't surprise me.

If Wall, Beal, and Porter all develop like I think they can then yeah, they're pretty set..

If you can consistently bring in guys like Ariza and Gortat, you'll be good with that core..

I'm hoping for a Wizards/Nets and Clippers/Blazers conference finals. Think about that for a second, I'd laugh. All wicked step-sisters of the NBA.

The Nets probably have no chance taking a game let alone the series though.

I kind of feel bad for Hibbert right now. Mcgrady and Arenas have a lot of balls to take shots at him though. Tracy Mcgrady will always be known as a 1 and done choke artist. Gilbert Arenas is a psycho that sunk the Wizards.

You can say a lot about those two but they never completely vanished in multiple playoff games (and a good portion of the regular season). All over ESPN radio I'm hearing people comparing him to Chuck Knoblauch or Steve Sax. But that was only one aspect of their game, throwing it to first, it seems like Hibbert can't do a single thing out there. Quite literally, any one of us on this board would provide more than him.

Come on. He's 7'2" and he had 0 points, 0 rebounds and 5 fouls in 18 minutes of a 2nd round playoff opener?!?! Heck, Drew Gooden played 18 minutes in the same game and had 12 points and 13 rebounds! How is that possible?

If Hibbert stood near his own basket and never ran to the other end of the floor, just by the law of averages, he should get around four rebounds in 18 minutes because he's 7'2". He probably wouldn't even have to move or jump. That's incredible to me. You'd almost have to be trying to stay away from the ball.

The guy was on fire last postseason and he's now playing like Roy Orbison. I almost want to tune into the next game more just to see this happen again.

But yes, I feel bad for him too (removing the "but he's rich so who cares" factor).

I am loving the potential this round has. Brooklynn and Miami will be good. Spurs and Trail Blazers is the 2nd best series behind OKC and LA.

So far we've had one game that was decided by less than 17 points

And that one was the 4 seed beating the 1 seed at home..

Weird playoffs.

I'll summarize the Spurs game



Portland is 28th in defending the P&R ball-handler while the Spurs were 1st or 2nd in the league in P&R ball-handler points/possession.

The Spurs killed the Blazers in the pick and roll. I seem to recall a funny stretch in last night's game where Tony Parker hit a midranger coming off a Duncan screen 3-4 possessions in a row.

Also I think we have our answer for how Pop will defend Aldridge... always with a big guy, even if that means bringing in Baynes. It was pretty much a Duncan, Splitter, Diaw rotation in the first round.

If Duncan retires.

Can we pay Pop whatever he wants to come coach the Cavs?

Yes, please. Obviously it won't happen, but it would be nice.

Oh I'd definitely let him be the end all be all of the team. Let him build it whatever way he wants.

He's one of the few guys that has shown he can do it.

So then Hibbert goes off for 28&9. Dayum.

Would you be more surprised if he gets 35&15 or 4&4 in game two?

Let's also offer RC Buford part ownership

If I'm Indy, I rent a boat and take him fishing on the Potomac River today.