Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, head coach Tyronn Lue and center Kevin Love pose for photos during Cavaliers media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James wasn't at Cavs media day on Monday, but, then again, he kinda was. He was there in the first question asked of head coach Tyronn Lue.

How do you move this team forward without LeBron?

"We know how important LeBron is to this franchise to win the the championship in 2016 and win the Eastern Conference four years in a row and we're very thankful for that," Lue said.

He was there in the second and third questions Lue got:

After LeBron left, how did you decide how to approach this season?

"No tanking," Lue said.

The spotlight on this team is gone, have you felt that?

"When you have the best player in the world, who has dominated this game the last 12-13 years, LeBron, it's always tough losing a player like that," said Lue.

He was there in questions for Collin Sexton and Kyle Korver and Cedi Osman. LeBron's model shoes were on Kevin Love's feet. And LeBron James was also there in the form of the 2016 championship banner hanging high on the wall.

As the 2018 season begins, the shadow of the kid from Akron still looms large. That was the biggest takeaway from Monday's media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Here are some others.

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Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue talks to the media during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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The new team motto

If you were looking for a quote that sums up what the Cavs will be about in 2018, Lue provided that on Monday.

"It's not about wins and losses, it's about wins and lessons," Lue said.

That's a big change from the last four years, when the motto was championship or bust, but, as Chris Fedor pointed out, it's not a total change in direction:

Lue's message comes on the heels of the organization pointing to a shift into player development mode. But don't be mistaken. That doesn't mean the goals are changing.

Shortly after James' departure in July, Cavaliers brass weighed everything. ... In the end, the Cavs decided on this path. One of competitiveness.

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Cavaliers center Kevin Love talks to Cavs Kids Club junior reporters during Cavaliers media day. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

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Love's expectations

Kevin Love is expected to be the No. 1 scoring option for the Cavs this season. He has moved up that ladder, from No. 3 in 2016 to No. 2 last season.

He admitted Monday that he could have some games with gaudy "Minnesota Kevin " stats. But he also knows this year's Cavs will need to be overachievers.

"We are going to be a team that will surprise a lot of people," Love said in response to a question about success will look like for this year's Cavs. "Ty Lue knows what he wants from us and vice-versa. Losing the best player in the world, we're going to have a fresh start. . . . We have first- and second-year guys who have to make an impact, and then veteran guys who have playoff experience under their belt."

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Korver's road back

When Game 4 of the NBA Finals ended, it's wasn't a given that Kyle Korver would be back in Independence, going through another media day with the Cavs, or any NBA team.

"I was done," Korver said. "I was just done. I took a good chunk of time and kind of got away from the game and really evaluated a lot of things and tried to decide if I still had the desire to play. Talking to my wife, my family, look at my kids, you know, we didn't really talk it through anything yet, but just tried to get a good feel for where they're at in life and after doing all that, I wanted to come back and I still wanted to play, still love the game and so I'm excited to be back."

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Nance has jokes

When Larry Nance Jr. sat down in front of the media on Monday, he was almost directly below a banner commemorating the retirement of a jersey number all Cavs fans know.

So someone asked him how that felt.

"It's an honor to be underneath Mark Price's jersey today," Nance said with a smirk.

Ba dum bump.

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Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton poses for photos during Cavaliers media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence. (Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com)

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No. 2 has been around

Rookie Collin Sexton is wearing No. 2 this season. But don't read too much into that. Like, for example, that Sexton is wearing No. 2 because he wants to follow in Kyrie Irving's footsteps.

"I'm not following in nobody's footsteps," Sexton said. "I'm going to come in and play my game."

And another thing ...

"Kyrie wore No. 2, but Mo Williams wore No. 2, also."

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Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton is interviewed by teammate Cedi Osman during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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How Cedi spent his summer vacation

Cedi Osman played in the NBA Finals last season as a rookie, but he still talks like someone who can't believe he actually knows LeBron James. So hearing him explain his experience in an offseason workout with James, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant is probably something all fans can relate to.

"I went to L.A. to work out with (James). So the first day we work out together and then the next day he said that we're going to work out with K.D. and Kawhi and, you know, I was so excited," said Osman. "Wow, the three best small forwards in the world and I'll have an opportunity to learn from them."

At one point, Osman explained, he was shooting with Durant, but all his shots were falling short.

"He was always telling me, 'Shoot up, shoot up.' I said, 'I can't right now' because I was pretty excited," Osman said.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guards Rodney Hood and John Holland pose for a selfie during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Rodney Hood poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guards JR Smith, Jordan Clarkson and George Hill pose for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers Sam Dekker poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Ante Zizic poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. has some fun for Cavs social media during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith talks to Cavs Kids Club junior reporters during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guards JR Smith has some fun for Cavs social media during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guards JR Smith, Jordan Clarkson and George Hill pose for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard George Hill poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers Channing Frye poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers Sam Dekker poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson dishes the ball off as he is photographed during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love and guard JR Smith has some social media fun during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton gets his photo snapped by as teammate as he poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Larry Nance Jr. poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guards George Hill and Collin Sexton pose for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love and guard JR Smith has some social media fun during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cavs.com's Joe Gabriele talks to Cleveland Cavaliers David Nwaba during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton poses for photos during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love talks to Cavs Kids Club junior reporters during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.

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Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love talks to the media during Cavaliers Media day 2018 at Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence.