2002–03 Cleveland Cavaliers season

The 2002–03 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 33rd season for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the National Basketball Association.^[1] The Cavaliers received the sixth overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Dajuan Wagner from the University of Memphis, and also selected power forward Carlos Boozer out of Duke University with the 34th overall pick.^[2][3][4] During the off-season, the team acquired Darius Miles from the Los Angeles Clippers,^[5][6][7] acquired Milt Palacio from the Phoenix Suns, and signed free agent, and undrafted rookie point guard Smush Parker.^[8]

With the addition of Wagner, Boozer and Miles, the Cavaliers got off to a 2–2 start to the regular season, but then suffered a dreadful 15-game losing streak between November and December afterwards. Head coach John Lucas was fired after an 8–34 start to the season, and was replaced with assistant coach Keith Smart, as the team later on held a 10–40 record at the All-Star break.^[9] At mid-season, Tyrone Hill was released to free agency, and re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, while Bimbo Coles was also released and signed with the Boston Celtics. The Cavaliers posted a seven-game losing streak between February and March, and finished in last place in the Central Division with a 17–65 record, which was tied for the worst record in the league along with the Denver Nuggets;^[10] it was also the team's worst record since the 1981–82 season. The Cavaliers also missed the NBA playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.

Ricky Davis showed improvement averaging 20.6 points, 5.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game, while Zydrunas Ilgauskas averaged 17.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, and Wagner provided the team with 13.4 points per game, but only played just 47 games due to a knee injury. In addition, Boozer provided with 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, while Jumaine Jones contributed 9.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, and led the Cavaliers with 111 three-point field goals, and Miles averaged 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Parker contributed 6.2 points and 2.5 assists per game, Chris Mihm averaged 5.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, and Palacio provided with 5.0 points and 3.2 assists per game.^[11]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Ilgauskas was selected for the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team; it was his first ever All-Star appearance.^[12][13][14] Meanwhile, Wagner and Boozer were both selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as members of the Rookies team.^[15][16] Davis finished in fourth place in Most Improved Player voting, while Ilgauskas finished tied in 21st place,^[17] and Boozer finished in seventh place in Rookie of the Year voting.^[17]

The Cavaliers finished last in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 471,374 at the Gund Arena during the regular season, which was 29th in the league.^[11][18] Following the season, Jones was traded to the Boston Celtics, while Palacio signed as a free agent with the Toronto Raptors, and Smart was fired as head coach.