For two decades, the simplest way to decide whether it was worth buying a ticket to see the Cavs play at home was to glance across the street from the arena. The brick wall on the side of the Sherwin-Williams building in downtown Cleveland has become a beacon of sorts.
In good times—the LeBron years—the space bore various Nike-sponsored images of James. In down times—the non-LeBron years—10-story banners highlighting local landmarks and the Cleveland skyline hung from the wall. But now, five years after James’s second exit, the Cavaliers have built a sustainable winner and his absence—real or poster-sized—no longer hangs over them.
In the aftermath of James’s 2018 departure, the Cavs crumbled. There was no culture, no foundation, just a handful of good players whose skill sets complemented a particularly special one. As a result, says team president Koby Altman, “We fell flat on our face.” A 19-win season in ’18–19 in which coach Ty Lue, who had led the team to its only championship, was fired after six games. Another 19 wins in pandemic-shortened ’19–20, when John Beilein, a 67-year-old college coach with no pro experience, quit after three months. In other words, not a team that appeared on the brink of contention.
