The Cleveland Cavaliers are 31 days from opening their regular season against the Philadelphia 76ers, and that countdown starts with a look at some of the franchise’s higher jersey numbers and the players who made them matter.
At No. 90, it’s Drew Gooden, the “Mr. Big Drizzle” of this list.
Cleveland traded for him in 2004, after he had worn No. 0 with the Grizzlies and No. 9 with the Magic. With the Cavs, he went with 90 and pushed past the usual basketball number range.
More than the jersey choice, though, Gooden mattered in the larger arc of the franchise. He was part of those early LeBron James seasons and the team’s first Finals run, appearing in 282 games.
He also holds the most minutes for a Cavaliers player wearing a number above 50.
Donovan Mitchell gives No. 45 its current place in the conversation. He already owns a Cavs record after scoring 71 points and adding 11 assists against the Bulls in 2023, one of the rare 70-point games in NBA history. This offseason, he added another major chapter by signing an extension that will pay him nearly $75 million when he’s in his 30s.
No. 43 belongs to Brad Daugherty, whose name is still hanging in the rafters at Rocket Arena. Drafted in 1986, he was a centerpiece of the Cavaliers alongside Mark Price through the 1980s and 1990s.
In eight seasons in Cleveland, Daugherty averaged 19 points and nearly 10 rebounds before a back injury ended his career at 28. By that point, he had already become the team’s all-time scorer and leading rebounder.
The list also turns to Austin Carr and No. 35.
Carr has been the voice of the Cavaliers for years, but he was once much more than that. He also spent nine seasons with the franchise from 1971 to 1980 and was the team’s all-time scorer.
“Mr. Cavalier” helped lead Cleveland to its first winning season and first playoff appearance, including “The Miracle in Richfield,” the seven-game series against the Washington Bullets.
The rundown closes with No. 31 and Jarrett Allen, a player who feels like a key part of the current Cavaliers identity. He was traded to Cleveland before any of the current players were on the roster and, in the 2023-24 season, he put together a stretch of 16 straight double-doubles, a Cavs record, while the team dealt with major injuries to Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, Allen has teased an evolution to his game as he tries to help the team win.
With the major numbers from 31 to 99 covered, the countdown will continue tomorrow with No. 30 and its place in Cleveland history.
In Other News...
Cavaliers Have A Jaylon Tyson Decision They Can't Drag Out
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Tyson is still on team options for the next two seasons, but he does not yet have the kind of deal that would signal he is part of the franchises extended plan. Cleveland is expected to weigh a rookie extension for him after this season, a decision that could shape whether the Cavs can keep him in place well beyond 2028-29. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cavs Are Headed Back To Cleveland With Plenty At Stake
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Jarrett Allen's Cavaliers Role Suddenly Feels Far Less Secure
The Cavaliers spent the offseason looking for ways to add more size and flexibility on the wing, and Peyton Watsons breakout 2025-26 season gave them a clear reason to keep exploring that direction. But any move that tilts the roster farther toward perimeter depth also raises an old question in Cleveland: how much room is there, really, for Jarrett Allen to stay fully involved in the offense when the lineup keeps evolving around him?
Allen has long been most effective when he is more than just a rim-running presence, and last season offered another reminder of how valuable he can be when the ball finds him in better spots. The challenge now is making sure the Cavaliers do not crowd him out as they chase more versatility elsewhere, which leaves plenty of room for lineup tinkering and a few decisions that could shape how secure his role feels once the real games start. [Read more 🡒]