CLEVELAND, Ohio -- David Griffin took over as general manager of the Cavaliers on Feb. 6, 2014. He actually was an "interim" general manager. He was promoted for the rest of the season after owner Dan Gilbert fired Chris Grant.

Question: Who came to Cleveland in Griffin's first trade?

Answer: Spencer Hawes.

Question: Who was the first player Griffin sought to acquire?

Answer: Channing Frye.

In February of 2014, Frye was starting for the Phoenix Suns, averaging 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and shooting 43 percent.

Why the fascination with Frye? He is a 6-foot-11 power forward/center who can shoot from 3-point range. He is a solid low-post defender, a decent rebounder.

Basketball analytics that put emphasis on making the 3-point shot put a smiling face next to Frye's name.

The Suns didn't want to trade Frye in 2014. So Griffin shopped for another big man who could shoot, settling on the 7-foot Hawes. The new general manager sent two second-round picks, Earl Clark and Henry Sims -- how do you like those names? -- to Philadelphia for Hawes.

In 27 games for the Cavs, Hawes averaged 13.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and shot 45 percent from 3-point range.

So it was a nice little deal.

WAY BACK WITH FRYE

The Cavs first tried to sign Frye in the summer of 2009. He was a free agent who averaged only 4.2 points, shooting 42 percent for Portland. Then-GM Danny Ferry wanted to add shooters around LeBron James, especially a big man who could shoot from 3-point range.

Yes, that's been a prevailing theme for the general managers of James for years -- find shooters.

Back in 2009, the Cavs were way over the salary cap. They could only offer Frye a minimum contract. Instead, he signed a two-year, $3.8 million deal with Phoenix.

Frye is from Phoenix and played at the University of Arizona. So the Cavs had little chance of signing him unless they significantly outbid Phoenix. The salary cap prevented them from doing so.

I mention this story simply because it's the first time Frye popped up on their radar screen.

MEANWHILE, IN PHOENIX

When Frye signed with the Suns, Griffin was the assistant to Suns general manager Steve Kerr. Both loved Frye's game and believed he'd thrive in their run-and-gun system. Frye averaged a career high 11.2 points for the Suns in 2009-10. That led to the Suns signing him to an extension through the summer of 2014.

Griffin spent the 2009-10 season watching Frye, appreciating the big man's professionalism. Frye was willing to start or come off the bench -- and to defend power forwards and centers. He studied the game and became one of Griffin's favorites.

After the 2009-10 season, Kerr and Griffin resigned. Griffin was hired as the assistant general manager to Grant in Cleveland in September of 2010.

So when Griffin took over the Cavs, he picked up the phone and tried to obtain Frye. The Suns were not interested in trading him anywhere.

THE BACK UP PLAN

On July 1, 2014, James became a free agent. So did Frye. The Cavs didn't know if James would return. They hoped so. They courted him.

But Griffin also was working on a back-up plan. What if James stayed in Miami? He talked a lot to Frye about coming to the Cavs. Griffin also was looking at other players such as Chandler Parsons and Gordon Haywood.

But they had to wait on James. What James decided would determine what happened with the franchises in Cleveland and Miami.

By July 7, Frye had a firm four-year, $32 million offer from Orlando. He was very interested in Cleveland and playing for Griffin, who no longer carried the "interim" tag to his job title. But he couldn't wait much longer and eventually went to Orlando.

On July 11, James announced his return to the Cavs.

IT'S NOT OVER

In January of 2015, Griffin made two major trades that saved the season. That's when he turned Dion Waiters and two first-round picks into J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Timofey Mozgov.

But he also tried to trade for Frye during that period, without success. The next attempt came near the 2015 trading deadline. Orlando coach Scott Skiles loved having Frye and wanted to keep the veteran for his leadership.

In the summer of 2015, Griffin asked yet again about Frye -- but Orlando was not interested.

PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF

This season's trading deadline was Feb. 18. Griffin had a few deals in the works. One would send Anderson Varejao to Portland. It was a salary cap-driven deal, one that would save the Cavs about $50 million on the luxury tax.

Owner Dan Gilbert could have stopped right there, saving the cash. But Griffin still wanted Frye. Sharing the court with Kyrie Irving and/or James would create a lot of open 3-pointers for Frye, as they had for Smith and other Cavs.

Orlando's season was a mess. This time, the Magic were willing to dump Frye's salary and rebuild. Griffin found a way to pick up Frye, and still save $15 million in luxury tax. Gilbert gave the green light. He could have kept the $50 million after the Varejao deal, but the basketball people had long convinced the owner of Frye's value.

Besides, from the start of these talks, Griffin wanted to turn Varejao into Frye.

THE VAREJAO DEAL

Here was Varajao's contract:

2015-16:

2016-17:

2017-18:

The Cavs sent Varejao and a 2018 first-round pick to Portland (protected 1-10) so the Blazers could take on Varejao's contract. Portland wanted the future pick. The Blazers cut Varejao, who then signed with Golden State.

Vareajo has played only 30 minutes in the postseason, scoring seven points for the Warriors.

THE FRYE DEAL

Here was Frye's contract:

2015-16:

2016-17:

2017-18:

Orlando wanted to get rid of the contract. The Magic took backup guard Jared Cunningham and a future second-round pick. The Cavs had a $9.6 million trade exception that was used as well.

Between the two deals, the Cavs traded Varejao, Cunningham, a first- and a second-round pick. They added Frye and saved $15 million on the salary cap.

They see Frye as protection for the likelihood of losing center Timofey Mozgov to free agency this summer. He also is depth in case Kevin Love is injured.

This was not just a quick fix deal, the Cavs want him for a few years.

THE IMMEDIATE PAYOFF

Frye will turn 33 on May 17. He still can really shoot. He averaged 6.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in the regular season for the Cavs, playing only 17 minutes a game. He shot 39 percent on 3-pointers.

The Cavs knew his real value would be in the playoffs. Coach Tyronn Lue played Frye only 29 minutes in the first round. But in the second round, Frye's time came. He scored 55 points in 77 minutes in the sweep of the Hawks. He was 20-of-31 from the field (11-of-19 on 3-pointers).

Players such as Frye help teams contend. Think of Robert Horry in the old days with San Antonio. Their long-range shooting can shred defenses and bring instant offense off the bench.

This was not Griffin's biggest deal. But this is an important one, as Cavs fans saw in the Atlanta series.