Actually, the Clippers helped out the Cavs the most after LeBron left by dealing them the pick that became Kyrie Irving in a salary dump just 4 months before the '11 draft. That draft itself was crazy, as evidenced by the draft positions of several future stars/solid rotation players:
http://www.prosportstransactions.com...Years/2011.htm
While it certainly raised eyebrows when the Cavs ultimately won the draft lottery again in '13 and '14, even though they blew the '13 top selection, I never bought the theory presented by
some - and I'm not suggesting that you believe this - that those picks were granted as a means to entice LeBron to return to Cleveland.
Even though LeBron returned to Cleveland in '14, I find it hard to believe that the league itself would not have preferred that he had remained in Miami. As one of the most, if not the, polarizing teams of all time -- NBA fans either loved or hated them, no in between -- the Heatles were an NBA ratings bonanza / cash cow.