The three Cleveland teams have seen tons of notable players over the years. Players like Lebron James, Joe Thomas, and José Ramirez are known for their exceptional play. Others like Anthony Bennett, Johnny Manziel, and Triston McKenzie are remembered for poor performances. Yet there are some players who’s time here was so obscure that even the most diehard fans would have trouble remembering them. Here are some players whose time in the 216 was brief and forgettable.
10. Johnny Damon, 2012
Being drafted by the Kansas City Royals, Damon is mostly known for his time with the Yankees and Red Sox. This, however, didn’t stop him from ending his career in Cleveland. After signing a minor league contract with the team, he was called up less than a month later. In 64 games, he hit .222, with four HRs and 19 RBIs. He was released from the team in August and retired shortly after.
9. Seth Curry, 2013
The Cavaliers briefly had a sharpshooting guard by the name of Curry, just not the one you’re thinking about. The younger of the Curry brothers went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, with stops in the G-League and with the Memphis Grizzlies. The former Duke star signed a 10-day contract with the Cavs. In his lone game as a Cavalier, he played just 9 minutes, logging 3 points, 2 steals and 1 rebound. Given this unimpressive stat line, Curry was not offered a second 10-day contract. He eventually carved out a respectable NBA career, going as far as leading the league in three-point percentage this past season. Given his longevity and skillset, it’s hard not to imagine what could’ve been if the organization had shown a little more patience.
8. Dell Curry, 1987-1988
As far as brief tenures go, it’s like father, like son. Dell Curry was selected in the 1987 NBA Draft with the 15th overall pick by the Utah Jazz. Shortly after his rookie season, the Jazz traded Curry to Cleveland. His time with the Cavs was productive, albeit unremarkable. During 79 games, he averaged roughly 10 PPG, 2 RPG, and 2 APG with shooting splits of 45/34/78. The following season, he would be the first selection of the then-newly founded Charlotte Hornets in the 1988 expansion draft. Given that Dell and his youngest son, Seth, both played in Cleveland, who’s to say Steph doesn’t find himself wearing wine and gold in the future?
7. Dave Winfield, 1995
You’d be hard-pressed to find a baseball player more athletic than Dave Winfield. The Hall of Fame rightfielder’s resume can stack up against any player in MLB history. He’s one of the few players to have never played in the minor league, being promoted straight to the Majors. In his illustrious 22-year career, he was a 12-time consecutive All-Star, 7-time Golden Glove winner and 6-time Silver Slugger recipient. Unfortunately, when he was traded to Cleveland, he was well past his prime. In 46 games for the Tribe, he hit .191 with a pair of homers and 4 RBI.
6. Deron Wiliams, 2017
At one point in time, Deron Williams was considered by some as a better young point guard than Chris Paul. Given his stats early in his career, there’s some validity in that opinion. From 2006 through 2010, Williams averaged 18.6 PPG and 10.2 APG, all while being selected as an All-Star three times. However, ankle and wrist injuries would eventually lead to a significant career decline. He went from a budding superstar in Utah to an often-injured role player for the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks. By the time Williams signed with the Cavs in 2017, he was a shell of his former self. He averaged 7.5 PPG and 3.6 APG, while offering very little on the defensive side of the ball. Later that year, Williams capped off his disastrous final season with an abhorrent performance against the Golden State Warriors in the Finals, where he shot 12% from the field, 11% from deep and averaged 1 PPG.
5. Dwyane Wade, 2017-2018
If you were to think about Dwyane Wade, you’d probably think about his spectacular career with the Miami Heat, or him being arguably the third greatest SG in NBA history. Most people wouldn’t think of his time spent with his hometown Chicago Bulls, or even here as a Cavalier. The 3x NBA champion’s time as a Cav was short-lived. In only 46 games, Wade averaged career lows in points (11.2) and minutes (23.2). He was traded back to Miami just before the 2018 trade deadline. Similar to Shaq on the Celtics, or Paul Pierce on the Clippers, this is a moment from a HOFer’s career we all wish we could forget.
4. Ben Wallace, 2008-2009
Known as one of the best post defenders of all time, Ben Wallace has had one of the most intriguing careers in NBA history. From an undrafted free agent out of a small school in Virginia to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Wallace has achieved a great deal in the NBA. After his exceptional first tenure with Detroit and his signing with Chicago, the Bulls traded him to Cleveland. Throughout his career, he never had the best offensive numbers, but his stats in Cleveland were downright atrocious. He averaged less than three points while shooting an appalling 42% on his free throws. After the season, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns for Shaq. His contract was bought out by the Suns and he signed a one-year contract to return to Detroit and retired a Piston.
3. Cecil Fielder, 1997
Not just known as a Father to Milwaukee Brewers legend Prince Fielder, Cecil Fielder had an impressive career on his own. The elder Fielder was one of the best power hitters of the ’90s. He hit 258 dingers from 1990 to 1996, most in the league during that time. He started out with the Toronto Blue Jays and also played a lone season for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan. He spent his prime years with the Detroit Tigers, where he was a 3x All-Star. After bouncing around from the Yankees to the then-California Angels of Anaheim, Fielder signed with Cleveland in 1998. His stint here was as putrid as it was brief. He hit a measly .143 in 37 plate appearances and was released after only 34 days.
2. Len Dawson, 1959-1961
Before he led the Kansas City Chiefs to the first-ever Super Bowl in 1967, Len Dawson briefly wore the brown and orange. In 1959, Cleveland acquired Dawson in a trade with Pittsburgh. Mainly serving as a backup, he only threw one touchdown in two years for the Paul Brown-led team and he was released in 1961. Dawson went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career with the Chiefs in the AFL. Normally, cutting a Hall-of-Fame player would be disastrous for a team, but this worked out in the Browns’ favor. They went on to win the NFL Championship three years later when they beat the then-Baltimore Colts 27-0.
1. Vince Young, 2014
Even the most diehard members of the Dawg Pound might not remember this one. Vince Young, one of the best QBs in NCAA history, Texas Longhorns Legend, was a Brown…sort of. After an inconsistent five years in Tennessee and a calamitous lone year in Philadelphia as a part of the 2011 Eagles’ “dream team”, Young struggled to find another shot as an NFL QB. He then had preseason stints with Buffalo and Green Bay, both of which ended with him being cut before the regular season. Then in May 2014, he signed a one-year contract with the Browns. He was looked upon to provide veteran leadership to a QB room that desperately needed it. Sadly for Young, he was released 11 days later and never played in the NFL again.
The post He Played Here?! 10 Players You Forgot Played In Cleveland appeared first on Cleveland Sports Talk .