Cavs chasing title but their first stop will be back to the beach

The Cavaliers are packing up for the beach again.

The team announced it will hold training camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5. That means a week of basketball, sun and bonding on Florida’s Gulf Coast before the grind of the new season.

It is the second straight year Cleveland has opened camp at IMG. Last fall’s trip was the first time any NBA team had ever trained at the academy, and the Cavs apparently liked it enough to make it an annual thing.

“Returning to IMG Academy is a testament to the tremendous experience we had there last year,” Cavaliers president of basketball operations Koby Altman. “The overall engagement, both at the Bradenton facility and throughout that community, was an invaluable part of our preseason preparations.

“Being on Florida’s Gulf Coast also provided an ideal backdrop for our team to focus, recharge, and come together in ways that are hard to replicate outside of Cleveland. We look forward to another great training camp at IMG Academy and immersing ourselves into the vibrant cultural scene that Sarasota offers.”

IMG offers all the modern bells and whistles — multiple courts, training facilities, and more than enough space for players to run, lift and sweat.

Camp leads into Media Day on Sept. 29 at Rocket Arena. Preseason tips Oct. 7 at home against the Bulls, then swings through Chicago and Boston before wrapping up Oct. 14 vs. the Pistons.

Soon, the Cavs will enjoy one last week of Florida sunshine before the real thing begins.