"They were talking about one nightclub" - Knicks legend Walt Frazier dreaded his move to Cleveland
Ahead of the New York Knicks' Monday night matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, franchise legend Walt Frazier reflected on his late-career trade to Cleveland. The Hall of Fame point guard highlighted the city's lack of entertainment, likening his experience to being exiled.
Frazier played his first 10 seasons for New York from 1967 to 1977, guiding the franchise to its first two NBA championships (1970 and 1973).
However, when the seven-time All-Star's production waned, he was shipped to the Cavaliers before the 1977-78 campaign. Frazier was dealt as compensation for then-impending offseason signing Jim Cleamons, a younger point guard replacement.
During a Thursday appearance on FanDuel TV's "Run it Back," Frazier recounted his shock and dismay upon landing in Cleveland, and his ensuing adjustment period. He noted that the city's nightlife paled in comparison to New York's.
"When I got traded, I was devasted and I was depressed. Now in retrospect when I look back on it, of all the places to get traded, I got traded to Cleveland," Frazier said. "I equated that to being shipped to Siberia. 'Oh, s**t, not Cleveland'"
"So, I'm in Cleveland, and it's in training, and they were talking about the one nightclub they go to. Everybody goes to this one nightclub. I went to that nightclub, and I go, 'Oh my goodness, it's gonna be a long winter. This is the best nightclub they've got?'" he continued.
Afterward, three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams, who retired last year, concurred, quipping that nothing has changed since Frazier's playing days.
"They've still got that one nightclub," Williams said. "It's still the same one, there's just one."
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Walt Frazier says Cleveland "prepared him for retirement"
During his discussion about finishing his career in Cleveland, Walt Frazier added that the experience expedited his retirement plans.
According to Frazier, everything went downhill after he left New York. So, he decided to start looking ahead to his post-career endeavors.
"Cleveland prepared me for retirement," Frazier said. "I played 10 years with the Knicks. I knew I was only going to play two more seasons, so I read a lot of self-help books."
Frazier ultimately played only 66 games over three seasons with the Cavaliers. Amid repeated foot injuries, he retired partway through the 1979-80 campaign.
However, Frazier returned to New York in a broadcasting role, serving as one of MSG Network's lead color commentators since 1998.
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