CLEVELAND, Ohio — Not only have rumors of Omri Casspi's departure from the Cavaliers been greatly exaggerated, but the Israeli swingman wants to show Cleveland all the reasons he should still have a spot in the rotation despite a career-worst inaugural season with the team.

"I love Cleveland," Casspi told Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv this week. "They gave me a lot, I owe them a big one."

Casspi spoke before Israel's game against Serbia in the EuroBasket championship qualifiers, addressing not only unfounded Internet rumors the Cavaliers might buy out the final year of Casspi's contract, but also his future with the team. Casspi acknowledged that with the Cavaliers drafting Dion Waiters and signing C.J. Miles -- both small forwards -- he has to improve upon his 2011-12 averages of 7.1 points per game and 40.3 percent shooting to find a place in the lineup. Both were career lows.

"Basically, I just have to go back to playing my basketball," Casspi told the newspaper. "To be good, effective, to punish -- everything I didn't do last season. I need to go back to my old self.

"I know that the team brought more players on the wings, and everybody in Cleveland is good. But none of us is an All- Star. We don't have Kobe or LeBron there. Coach [Byron] Scott says that whoever is better will play, and I believe him."

Casspi, 24, averaged 9.5 points on 43 percent shooting in his first two NBA seasons in Sacramento.