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

by Jason Lloyd

An unputdownable, must-have sports book for every LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, and NBA fan.

June 19, 2016: the greatest moment in Cleveland sports history, when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals and broke the Cleveland Curse. It was the triumph fans had been waiting fifty-two years for, and it wasn't easy to get there--but thanks to LeBron James, an audacious plan to build a winning team, a couple of maverick GMs, and an incredible community of fans, it happened; and 2016 saw the birth of a new Cavaliers dynasty.

But how did they get there? It was a roller-coaster ride from tragedy to triumph, one that Jason Lloyd, a longtime Northeast Ohio resident turned reporter for the Akron Beacon Journal, got to see firsthand. He was witness to the Blueprint, as he calls it, which the Cavs put together to win their star player back from Miami and build a team that could win the ultimate championship. It incorporated several losing seasons, some high-risk draft picks, and an entirely new understanding of how to build a championship team.

The best part of the plan is that it worked, culminating in the most exciting Finals series in NBA history. And, most important, the end of the Cleveland Curse. Jason Lloyd, a true insider, tells the story of how the NBA really works, and how everyone--from the front office to the stars on the court to the new generation of coaches--worked together to create an unforgettable winning team.

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 24, 2017

Reviews

[Jediael Lorenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Blueprint by Jason LLoyd as one of the 3 books over the summer. The book revolves around the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise. It starts off with the start of the franchise and goes all the way to about 2017. This book had very interesting details that I never knew about the cavalier team. I would definitely recommend this book for any Lebron, cavs, or NBA fans. Only thing to keep in mind is that this is a young adult read. So some foul language is presented. Over all great book.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book that probably helped me cope with LeBron leaving again and fun to look back on the championship. Much of it familiar from reading Jason Lloyd over the past 8 years, but surprised to be reminded of how dysfunctional the team was while LeBron was gone the first time. Boy were they bad! Hopefully this time will be better and competitive.

[Ricardo Motti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kyrie is even more annoying than I thought he was.

[Tyson Bombick]

The book that I am going to be writing a review about is “The Blueprint” by Jason Lloyd. The book takes place all over the U.S. but is primarily in Cleveland, Ohio. It is nonfiction and about Lloyd’s stressful job as the editor-in-chief of The Athletic Cleveland. So although there are many people included and mentioned in this story Lloyd is the only main character.

Next up, I will be describing the plot of this story. The book is written about the sports teams of the city of Cleveland and also the NBA’s biggest superstar LeBron James. It starts by explaining what James childhood was like growing up just a few miles from Cleveland in Akron, Ohio. At this time, Lloyd explains the history of sports in Cleveland and all of the heartbreak that both the teams and fans have gone through the years. Next it describes LeBron’s journey to the NBA draft and being the number 1 pick straight out of high school. Alongside this, Lloyd explains just how much the Cavs front office had to go through to be able to draft James. Fast forward to free agency before the 2010-2011 NBA season the author describes what it was like for the Cavs and city of Cleveland after LeBron left the Cavaliers and signed with the Miami Heat. He describes once again just what the Cavs organization had to go through to get James to want to come back to Cleveland. Before the 2014 season, James signs back with his hometown Cavaliers after winning three Championships in four years with Miami. Over the next two NBA seasons, the Cavaliers are significantly better with James back on the team and great supporting pieces so they are looking to make a big playoff run in 2016. But even though you may already know what happens next, if you choose to read this book I will let you figure out what happens in the end and if all of the Cavaliers choices are worth it.

Lastly, I will be discussing my actual thoughts and comments about the book as well as what I liked and disliked. In my opinion, I loved the book and highly suggest it to any major basketball or sports fan. It provided extensive knowledge about the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise and virtually all of the behind the scenes of the organization from 2000-2017. Jason Lloyd in the beginning of the book which is taking place in 2001 talks about the antics of the old Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. It is well known around the NBA how reckless he was but Lloyd provided some behind the scenes accounts to support this. Another account is towards the middle of the book when the Cavaliers are searching for a new coach. He provided accounts from Byron Scott who later did become the coach, but he shows how tense the environment was in both the city of Cleveland as well as the Cavaliers front office. One more behind the scenes story from this book that many people may not have known about is when LeBron James left Cleveland in 2013, everyone knows just how hurt the city was but many don’t know exactly how the players on the Cavs felt. Mo Williams, who was on the team when LeBron left for Miami and was also a very close friend of James gets an exclusive interview hours after James departs. He talks about how in shock the whole team was feeling at this moment and just how in disbelief they were in, and this may just seem like a normal interview but it was not revealed until Lloyds book was shared with the world. There are many more behind the scenes personal accounts that are given in this book, but these three to me were the most significant. In conclusion, “The Blueprint” by Jason Lloyd is a fantastic book and I highly suggest it to any sports fan out there.

[Brendan Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

LeBron James is currently appearing in the NBA finals for the 8th year in a row. The biggest superstar in a sport where superstars matter more than any other, James has been one of the biggest names in US sport since he was 18 years of age.

After being drafted by his hometown Cleveland Cavilers, LeBron eventually got frustrated at never winning a title and joined Miami Heat in 2010 and combined with fellow stars Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade as part of Pat Riley’s ambitious plans to build a championship winning team. Riley was able to get LeBron because he understood that winning a championship was what he wanted most – he had the fame, the endorsement and the money and knew Riley could help him get championship rings.

The Blueprint tells the story of what happened in Cleveland after LeBron’s ‘Decision’. Once the grieving process was over, the Cleveland front office launched an ambitious plan to ensure they would be in a position to get LeBron back once he entered free agency in 2014. The plan incorporated several losing seasons, some high-risk draft picks, and a long term plan to build a championship winning team. It was a risky, ingenious and amazingly succesful plan which provided a new roadmap for how to build a championship team over time. Unfortunately for Cav’s fans, it’s unlikely to be a dynasty with some key players from the 2016 championship team leaving and the Golden State Warriors continuously standing in the way.

Llyod spent these and many other years as a reporter in Cleveland covering the NBA and the Cavs and couldn’t have been better positioned to write this book. The book is also the story of Cleveland sports – the heartbreak and the tragic endings Lloyd takes us through all of the tragic endings that Cleveland sports die-hards had to endure since the Browns won the NFL championship in 1964.

Ultimately the book is primarily a testament to just how great LeBron James is. More than anything, it highlights the transformative effect he had on both his teams. It paints a portrait of a player who learned from his mistakes, from being too brash and too arrogant in his public pronouncements. Of a player who discovered what it takes to lead teams of all different talent levels.

The Blueprint is a very enjoyable and entertaining read. Llyod tells a fascinating story of the relationship between a star and his city, of anguish and redemption and of how to build a championship winning team in the modern NBA.

You can read all of my sports book reviews at https://allsportsbooks.reviews

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

The one word I would use to describe this book is, greatness. The reason I chose this word is because this is the one book that just proves LeBron James is one of the greatest players to ever play basketball. He has defied impossible odds to win championships at any cost. It shows his journey from a young boy who lived in Akron, to league MVP and NBA champion.
The information in this book was not surprising. I knew the Cleveland Cavaliers were not a good team before LeBron entered the NBA. His first season in the NBA, he carried his team to 35 wins. The previous season the team only had 17 wins. This book made want to read more books on basketball players, because reading about these people, and how they become great players is truly inspriring. The book changed the way I thought about basketball, because it shows that if you always try your hardest, you will always succeed, whether you win or lose. This book was absolutely a page turner because it detailed every aspect of LeBron’s career, and how each year was different from the previous seasons. I did not like the writing perspective that much, because the story is told from a man maned Jason Lloyd. He does not know LeBron’s story like he does, and I don’t like that the story is being told from a different person perspective’s. The book was easy to understand, you could easily follow along and tell what was going on at all times. The book honestly made me shed some tears, because after 13 years in the NBA, LeBron finally gave Cleveland the championship they deserved.
I would recommend this book who love inspirational stories about sports players, because it will keep you hooked on for a long time. People who should avoid this book are the people who do not like sports. The book would not be that inspirational if you are not that into sports.

[Anderson Feng]

This is the BEST book I have read on the subject of Basketball.

The Blueprint is about the hard work and the type of dedication shown by the Cavs and their staff to pull off the miracle of overcoming a 3-1 lead. Jason Lloyd takes us through all of the tragic endings that Cleveland sports diehards had to endure since the Browns won the championship in 1964 and the choice the Cavs made and how they led to the championship title.


I personally found the era in which James departed to Miami the most interesting, hearing how the organization plotted to entice Lebron back, the deals that happened, and more so, the ones that didn’t. It is so well organized that the book takes you through each tiny decision that has been made in order to convince Lebron to come back to Cleveland and eventually won the Championship title.

If you love Lebron or just interested in a good, recent story. Here's your book.

[Favian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking epilogue. Jason Lloyd takes us through all of the tragic endings that Cleveland sports diehards had to endure since the Browns won the championship in 1964. Lloyd remixed Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin’s “Return of The King”, where Lloyd’s premise revolved around the Cavaliers front office’s calculated moves anticipating LeBron’s homecoming in 2014 from the moment “The Decision” took place. While doing so, he inserts himself into the narrative with personal anecdotes. The Blueprint is proof that there is no such thing as a finished product, as significant pieces of the Cavs’ historic 2016 title run are no longer affiliated with the team. Lloyd’s comprehensive account serves as a cautionary tale of fleeting success and mismanaged egos that consequentially tore down a potential dynasty.

[Saverio · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blueprint by Jason Llyod is about the hard work and the type of dedication shown by the Cavs and their staff to pull off the miracle of overcoming a 3-1 lead, to a regular season record setting Golden State Warriors. He goes into detail explaining the tiring work of the Cavs Gm and assistant Gm, putting together this NBA championship caliber team. He has been with the Cavs since day 1. he was the first person to reveal Lebron's decision to go home in 2014 to the Cavs. I really liked how he took the time, and kind of slowed down the story, so he could express in detail the emotions of the players and staff. he really makes you feel like you are there with the Cavs in all their biggest moments. I really liked this book, being a Cavs fan. I gave this book 5 stars.

[Kyle Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the movings and shakings behind the cavs quest for a Title in the Lebron Era.

I personally found the era in which James departed to Miami the most interesting, hearing how the organisation plotted to entice Lebron back, the deals that happened, and more so, the ones that didn’t.

As a Lebron hater I was hesitant to read this , but the insight is fascinating regardless of ur view on the man and how many times he’s pummelled your team. Any NBA fan should enjoy this fly on the wall account

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and interesting account of the interregnum period between LeBron James' 2 tenures in Cleveland. Lloyd was a beat reporter for area newspapers and he did a great job of incorporating personal perspective and reporting to give the story a bit of flavor. Here and there were tidbits which were interesting new information. Nothing amazing or earth shattering here, but a very entertaining read!

[Nick Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Cleveland native, the way Jason wrote this book allows you to see the intricate details of the GM and ownership process, while also relieving the experience of the first local championship in my lifetime as a fan. LeBron made a massive impact on Cleveland, and Jason wrote in so many pieces that no one else would know or have seen throughout the championship journey. His dedication is evident throughout, and his sacrifices resulted in one of the best retellings I have ever read.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s pretty clear Lloyd had unparalleled access to the Cavs. There are a lot of interesting behind the scenes details that haven’t been covered anywhere else. The book’s title references the making of the modern NBA, but it glosses over some of the important details like the rise of analytics. Other than that, this book is pretty flawless.

[Marc Pong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books takes you through the years from when Lebron left Cleveland and took his talents to South Beach to Championship season to their NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors.. It orchestrates how the Cavaliers went through changes in order to bring back James. They had successfully drafted Kyrie Irving and built their organization from the ground up.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great insight into the machinations of modern NBA teams and the story of the Cavs over the past decade. It follows the team and LeBron across that period, and highlights the front office thinking and planning. In some places it's essentially Moneyball come to the NBA.

[Katie Ulrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly more indepth than McMenamin and Windhorst. Well done.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, besides being well written and paced, the in-depth look at the Cavs from the time LeBron left until they won the NBA title was eye-opening. Best sports book I've read in a long time.

[Steve]

An interesting take on the way the Cavs set themselves up for Lebron to come back

[Sumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t think I’d ever be emotional about Cleveland, but here we sit. Dramatic but accessible, moving but not overdone. Unequivocally the best read of my summer.

[Mai K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any true sports fan will cry the day Lebron retires

[Lucas Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cleveland bias is real

[Tyler Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go Cavs!

[Zack Timmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really insightful look at the story of LeBron James' return to Cleveland and his quest for a title with the Cavaliers. There's not much new stuff here if you're a close follower, but it's well organized and it paints a complete picture of the entire saga.

[Matthew Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a quick easy listen about the Cavs with a few behind the scenes stories mixed in. I wouldn't say I learned a ton that I hadn't heard or just seen myself, but still a good well put together book.