CLEVELAND — LeBron James remembers.
Santa Barbara, California, is beautiful in late September. On Sept. 21, it was mid-70s without a cloud in the sky. But rather than enjoying the weather, James was leading 17 other members of the Cleveland Cavaliers through a workout that would set the stage for the upcoming campaign, taking place a little more than a week before the start of the preseason.
Veterans like Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson ran with young guys like Kay Felder and Cedi Osman. But if there is anything worse than being cooped up indoors during a Santa Barbara autumn, thus signaling the end of your offseason, it's being indoors and confined to a trainer's table.