The Cleveland Cavaliers are currently looking for ways to improve after their playoff loss last year at the hands of the Indiana Pacers. With the (very notable) exception of LeBron James, the Cavs have had a struggle pulling in free agents over the years, which may in part be due to the area’s relatively small market size and the fact that it’s not exactly considered a destination city.
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham recently doubled down on this idea when speaking about a possible WNBA expansion team in the city of Cleveland, saying, “I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland],” per Yahoo Sports on X.
Now, Cavs big man Tristan Thompson, who helped win a championship for Cleveland in the 2015-16 season, is firing back at Cunningham’s remarks.
“Cleveland is an unbelievable sports town, with great people, great restaurants, and its great for outdoor/nature activities . Still surprises me to see people say stuff like this,” wrote Thompson on X.
The city of Cleveland was also the target of an epic rant from then-Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah during a playoff series between the Cavs and Bulls during LeBron James’ first stint with the franchise.
However, one thing that can’t be denied is the passion that Cleveland has for its sports teams. Even during the mostly dark days of the non-LeBron James eras over the years, Cavs fans have come out in full force to support their team, and they were finally rewarded for that last year with a historic 64-win season.
Unfortunately, those good vibes quickly fizzled out in the playoffs, but it should be noted that the Cavs dealt with several untimely injuries in the postseason, which certainly contributed to their demise.
In any case, don’t expect Cleveland residents to take to Cunningham’s words too kindly.
