Mike Miller: Why “I’m So Excited” to Be Joining the Cleveland Cavaliers

Mike Miller has officially made the decision to sign a two-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers worth $5.5 million.

If the name “Mike Miller” does not ring a bell with you, it’s primarily because he is one of the most underrated and under-appreciated players in the NBA. You might remember that Mike Miller played a pivotal role in the Miami Heat winning back-to-back championships in 2013 and 2014, especially when it came to his beautiful three-point shot that seemed to always fall directly into the hoop at the perfect time.

Even after all of his hard work, Miller was waived from the team back in July of 2013 through their amnesty clause shortly before reaching the deadline for that type of risky move during the off-season. Keep in mind that this was less than one month after Mike Miller helped the franchise to secure their third championship (second in a row). At the time, it angered a lot of loyal Heat fans – especially when you look at the consistent help that Miller was able to provide from the bench throughout the regular and off-season games that he played while wearing a Heat jersey.

It didn’t stop Mike Miller from doing what he did best on the court – performing consistently without letup.

After being waived by the Miami Heat, Mike Miller was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies. During his one season with them, he was able to make over 40% of his three pointers and never missed a single game due to injury throughout the entire season. As they were forced to watch Dwyane Wade and Mario Chalmers struggle with their own shots throughout the regular season and playoffs, Heat fans and players alike were probably kicking themselves repeatedly as they studied the impressive stats that Mike Miller was able to produce on the court for Memphis.

However, the waiver of Mike Miller it was eventually written off as a strategic business move to prepare the front office for winning over the heart of LeBron James in the 2014-2015 offseason – having enough money on hand to keep his talents in South Beach.

Clearly, that plan has backfired on the Miami Heat in more ways than they could have ever expected, especially since LeBron James confirmed last week that he would be leaving the Miami Heat to rejoin his original “home” team – the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In addition to leaving the Miami Heat in an awkward position as they scramble to rebuild their team before the new season starts, it presented a solid business opportunity for Mike Miller.

From a financial perspective, many fans and critics may feel that Mike Miller made a huge mistake – especially since he was being offered more money to sign with the Denver Nuggets as well as the Houston Rockets. However, that is clearly not the focal point of Miller’s decision. Not at all! Like LeBron James, Mike Miller wants to win and put himself in a position to win more championships while he is still in the prime of his career. Besides, Heat fans remember that LeBron James thoroughly enjoyed passing the ball to Mike Miller whenever he was behind the 3-point line because chances were he would make the shot.

Therefore, reading this tweet from Mike Miller should not have come as a surprise to anyone – especially Heat fans:

Thanks to Memphis for a great year!! But I’m so excited to be a part of the Cleveland family and their… http://t.co/YUh1rW6pRz

— Mike Miller (@MikeMiller_13) July 15, 2014

Can you imagine what would happen if the Cleveland Cavaliers can actually close a deal to add Kevin Love to this impressive line-up? Along with incoming rookie Andrew Wiggins, the legendary point guard Kyrie Irving (aka Uncle Drew) and Mike Miller shooting three-pointers in his sleep, the Cavaliers would be a dynamic & unstoppable force in the East next season. Only time will tell. Perhaps it’s time for another Uncle Drew video – this time around featuring all of the NEW Cavaliers – including Mike Miller. What do you think?