CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James told Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love via Instagram early Monday morning that "I can't wait to get back on the floor again with you two guys," assuring them that the Cavs' dominant run through the second half of last season was "was just a sample size of what we're capable of."
"I'm so hyped thinking about what's next," James posted to his social media account at 1:30 a.m. Cleveland's superstar has 12.4 million followers on Instagram.
What prompted James', ahem, Love note to Uncle Drew wasn't immediately clear. But James said earlier this summer he planned to use his flights to and from Asia to watch film in preparation for the upcoming season, and perhaps he really, really liked what he saw.
After struggling for the first half of their first season together, James, Irving, and Love led the Cavs to an NBA-best 34-9 record starting Jan. 15.
Cleveland's Big Three was the highest-scoring trio in the league at 63.4 points per game.
Irving registered the NBA's two best individual scoring games of the season, a 55-pointer against Portland (without James) on Jan. 28 and 57 against San Antonio on March 12.
James' 25.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game were the second-lowest of his career, but his 7.4 assists were the second-most of 12 seasons. Together, James and Irving (Cleveland's two All-Stars), became the fifth duo in NBA history to average at least 20 points and five assists per game.
Love and James had their awkward moments, and Love's 16.4 ppg and 9.7 rpg were among the lowest of his career, but he was still the most dangerous third option in the NBA.
James and Love both sound as though they have turned a corner in their relationship following a pool-side chat that came before Love signed a five-year, $113 million contract with the Cavs in July.
James also re-upped with the Cavs in July on a one-year, $23 million contract with a $24 million option for 2016-17.
During his mid-flight film sessions, James also saw what happened to the team when Love and Irving's bodies fell apart. Love went down first with a severe shoulder injury in the first round against Boston; Irving followed shortly with foot and leg injuries that hampered him until a broken knee cap in Game 1 of the Finals forced him out for good.
James dragged the Cavs to two wins against Golden State in the Finals without his top two wing mates, and could only imagine the outcome had they both been healthy.
For those counting at home -- James is apparently among you -- the Cavs' training camp is tentatively set to begin Sept. 29. Cleveland's first preseason game is Oct. 7 in Cincinnati against Atlanta, and the 2015-16 season opens in Chicago on Oct. 27.