3 biggest free agent mistakes in Cleveland Cavaliers history

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SAN ANTONIO – JUNE 10: Larry Hughes #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks across the court in Game Two against the San Antonio Spurs of the 2007 NBA Finals on June 10, 2007 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) /

Cavaliers biggest free-agent mistakes: 1. Larry Hughes

The Cavs gave Larry Hughes $65 million dollars over five years in 2005 after failing to get better talent to build around LeBron James. This is widely known as one of the worst contracts in Cavs’ history. Hughes produced bad shooting numbers in his only two years in Cleveland. He would never shoot above 42 percent from the field during his career.

The Cavs repeatedly overpaid for middling talent during their first stint with James. The fact that the second-best player on the Cavs’ 2007 Finals team was arguably Larry Hughes is the reason that fans of LeBron say that he did not have any help during his first run with the Cavs.

The veteran would end up being traded to the Bulls for Ben Wallace along with other veteran players. This was a washed-up Ben Wallace and was a follow-up to a bunch of other bad moves that the Cavs made during the late 2000s.

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