Why Stepien Rules? 

Ted Stepien, who owned the Cavaliers from 1980 to 1983, was one of the worst owners professional sports in America has ever known.  He was so bad that, in 1982, the NBA legislated rules to protect Stepien from himself.  The Stepien Rule - still in effect today - prevents a team from trading its first round pick in consecutive seasons...something Ted did a lot of.  

A brief look back at the surrealistic career of Cavaliers Owner Ted Stepien: 

In 1982, the New York Times published an article calling Stepien's Cavaliers the "worst club, and most poorly run franchise in professional basketball."  During his tenure as owner, the Cavaliers went 66-180, employed five different coaches, and had losses of $15 million.  One of the five Coaches he fired was Chuck Daly.  Another Cleveland asset foolishly given the axe was Joe Tait - dispatched in 1981 for his on-air criticism of Stepien's ownership.  The NBA stepped in with the aforementioned Stepien Rules a short time later, after the Cavaliers made a series of ridiculous transactions that included trading several first round picks for mediocre talents.  One of the traded picks went to the Lakers, who used it to draft James Worthy in 1982.  Prior to the 1983 - 84 season, at David Stern's urging - and to the relief of most local sports fans - Stepien sold the Cavaliers to the Gund Family for $20 million.  With the help of a kid born in Akron a few years later, the Gunds eventually sold the Cavaliers to Dan Gilbert in 2005 for $375 million.