Cleveland Cavaliers: 25 Best Players To Play For The Cavaliers
By Phil Watson
player. 156. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Los Angeles Lakers, May 17, 1974.. C. 1974-79. Jim Chones. 24
The Cleveland Cavaliers were in negotiations with free agent Jim Chones to entice him to jump from the rival ABA to the NBA, but they needed something first.
So in May 1974, the Cavaliers send a first-round pick in 1975 to the Los Angeles Lakers for the rights to Chones.
He signed three days later and gave the Cavaliers an inside presence they had lacked, helping them to their first playoff berth—and an Eastern Conference Finals bid—in 1976.
In October 1979, he was dealt back to the Lakers in exchange for Dave Robisch and a third-round pick in 1980.
In five seasons with Cleveland, Chones averaged 14.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game, shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 70.4 percent at the line.
He was an All-American as a junior at Marquette, averaging 20.6 points and 11.9 rebounds per game and signed with the ABA’s New York nets in February 1972.
In typical ABA fashion, the Nets then selected him in the first round of the 1972 ABA Draft … almost two weeks later.
Chones was a second-round pick, 31st overall, by the Lakers in the 1973 NBA Draft.
An ABA All-Rookie selection in 1972-73, Chones was traded to the Carolina Cougars in September 1973 in exchange for a draft pick and cash.
With the Lakers, he was part of their 1980 NBA title team.
In July 1981, he was part of a package including Brad Holland, a second round-pick in 1982 and a first-round selection in 1983 sent to the Washington Bullets as compensation for Los Angeles’ signing of veteran free agent Mitch Kupchak.
Waived by the Bullets in October 1982, Chones played a season in Italy before retiring in 1983.
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