The Eight Cleveland Cavaliers Retired Numbers

A look back at the Cleveland Cavaliers' all-time greats who have had their numbers retired by the organization.

Jan 3, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Banners of Cleveland Cavaliers former broadcaster Joe Tait (not pictured), former players Austin Carr (not pictured), Nate Thurmond (not pictured) and Bobby Smith (not pictured) hang at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers franchise may only be 54 years old, but they've still had some all-time great players appear in a Cavalier uniform during their history.

Let's look back at some of the best players in team history who eventually had their jersey numbers retired by the organization after their playing careers ended.

In total, the Cavs have retired eight different jersey numbers, which hang in the rafters of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

43 - Brad Daugherty - 1986-94

Brad Daugherty has the argument and resume to be considered the best power forward in Cleveland history. He played eight seasons with the Cavaliers and averaged 19.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in 546 games.

The power forward has left his mark on the organization and sits fourth on the all-time rebounds list with 5,227.

42 - Nate Thurmond - 1975-77

Nate Thurmond finished his historic NBA career as a member of the Cavaliers. He averaed 5.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in the two years he spent in Cleveland, and those seaons weren't nearly as impactful as his season with the San Francisco Warriors, but Cleveland wanted to recognize the legacy he left on the game of NBA.

34 - Austin Carr - 1971-80

Some consider Austin Carr to be the best shooting guard in Cavaliers franchise history. (However, something tells me Donovan Mitchell will have something to say about that when it's all said and done.)

Carr was not only one of the best pure scorers on the Cavaliers during his time in Cleveland but one of the best in the NBA. He averaged 16.2 points while shooting 45 percent from the floor. Those numbers could look even better if he had the three-point line for his entire career.

Recognizing his contribution to the franchise, the Cavaliers have officially retied the number 34.

25 - Mark Price - 1986-95

Mark Price spent nine seasons in Cleveland and was a part of the legendary 90s teams that constantly made playoff runs.

The four-time All-Star averaged 16.4 points while shooting 48 percent from the floor and 40 percent from behind the arc. Price also averaged 7.2 assists a game with the Cavaliers and, to this day, has the second-most assists in club history with 4,206.

Oct 26, 2019; Cleveland, OH, USA; Former Cleveland Cavaliers players (left to right) Austin Carr and Larry Nance and Brad Daugherty and Mark Price are introduced as part of the Cleveland Cavaliers 50th anniversary festivities before the game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

22 - Larry Nance - 1988-89

Larry Nance did a little bit of everything when he was on the floor. During his eight seasons in Cleveland, he averaged 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks a game and was a slo voted to an All-NBA defense first team.

This one has an asterisk because the number came out of retirement, but for a good reason. When Nance's son, Larry Nance Jr, was a member of the Cavs, we wore the number "22" to keep the family legacy going.

11 - Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 1997-2010

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, or "Big Z," is easily the best center in Cavaliers history. During his time with the Cavs, he averaged 13.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.

Loyalty also has to come into play when a team decides if they're going to retire a player's number. No one was more loyal than Ilgauskas, who spent 12 long seasons with the Cavs and is still part of the organization today.

7 - Bingo Smith - 1969-80

The Cavalier's first true star was Bingo Smith, who was part of the first-ever Wine and Gold roster. He spent the next 10 seasons with the Cavs, averaging 13.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

Smith's number being retired is a nice nod to the franchise's history.

Nov 28, 1972; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Bingo Smith (7) in action against the Atlanta Hawks at the Omni. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images / Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

6 - Bill Russell

Bill Russell never played for the Cavaliers. However, after his passing, his number "6" was retired across the NBA.

23 - LeBron James, 0 - Kevin Love (Honorable Mentions)

Neither LeBron James nor Kevin Love have their jersey numbers in the rafters ... yet. However, Dan Gilbert promised to retire LeBron's "23" after his playing days were over and made a similar commitment to Love's number "0."