The Blueprint: LeBron James, Cleveland’s Deliverance, and the Making of the Modern NBA

As journalist Lloyd, who previously covered the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Akron Beacon Journal, reports in this energetic, detailed slice of basketball history, when Akron-born LeBron James left the team in 2010, the Cavs immediately began plotting to get him back. When he signed back up in 2014, the fan response was mixed, and James had to adjust to new, talented teammates such as Kevin Love, who went from being adored by the superstar to nearly wilting under his high standards. Lloyd also covers the coaching staff and front office, notably the drama involved in finding a head coach: oblivious David Blatt, who led the Cavs from 2014 to 2016, thought he could coach in the NBA after years overseas, but soon realized he couldn’t. The right man, Blatt’s assistant Tyronn Lue, only took the job after his mentor, coach and former player Doc Rivers, convinced him. The Cavs’ player personnel moves in 2014 were dictated by finances (salary cap space was an obstacle) and need, and Lloyd’s intoxicatingly thorough reporting allows readers to grasp the difficulty in assembling a team—even one featuring a legend. (Oct.)