Who is Sophie Cunningham? Explaining Wild Affair Lawsuit Involving NBA CEO

After Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever exited the 2024 season in the first round of the playoffs, the top brass decided they needed veteran stars to come in and help the young core develop. That move saw DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard, Sophie Cunningham, and a couple of other veterans come in.

Bonner, Howard, Brianna Turner, and Sydney Colson came in via free agency. The pitch was simple: the Fever needed championship-winning experience, as well as someone who knows how to deal with the many nuances opponents can throw in their face.

But Cunningham came in via trade, as the Fever sent their No. 8 overall pick from the 2025 WNBA Draft to the Connecticut Sun as part of a four-team trade. They might have believed that it was better to get a seasoned pro in the former Missouri rather than wait to develop another rookie.

In the first preseason game, the 28-year-old gave a fitting performance to give further proof that the Indiana Fever got it right. But now, something else has come up featuring Sophie Cunningham, that threatens to drag her name through the mud.

Front Office Sports revealed that a lawsuit has been filed in Arizona where a former employee is suing the Phoenix Suns and Mercury organization. It is not unusual, considering this happens to be the fourth lawsuit in the past seven months. But one reference to the then Mercury guard has brought to light something else.

In the court documents shared by FOS, it is revealed that Cunningham was having an affair with Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein. It is not unnatural for an employee to have a consensual relationship with another, but the trade has thrown up several questions in the air.

Why did Sophie Cunningham’s name come up in the lawsuit?

The trade to the Indiana Fever was seen as Sophie Cunningham fulfilling her dream of both playing alongside Caitlin Clark, as well as moving back Midwest. But now that this lawsuit has come to light, it seems the affair also played its part.

This lawsuit’s plaintiff is a man named Gene Traylor, who is the team’s former director of safety, security, and risk management. In trying to explain the incidents that led to his demotion, Traylor mentioned a discussion with Suns executive Dan Craig, where the latter told him:

Josh Bartelstein is f**king Sophie Cunningham.

Gene Traylor lawsuit quoted Dan Craig telling him

The lawsuit explains that Gene Traylor revealed this conversation to Suns and Mercury CEO Josh Bartelstein. He wanted to prove to the CEO that Dan Craig had been bad-mouthing everyone, and his decisions could become a security problem for the organization.

It is unknown if Josh Bartelstein took any action on this matter. But the fact remains that his relationship with Sophie Cunningham has come to light. He was announced as the CEO back in April 2023. This means that the star guard’s relationship with the top boss started after that.

Will Sophie Cunningham’s time with Fever suffer due to this lawsuit?

It is unknown if it was Sophie Cunningham or the Phoenix Mercury who wanted the trade to happen. Considering it was a consensual relationship and not breaching franchise rules like the one that happened between Ime Udoka and a Boston Celtics employee, it is unlikely that the now Indiana Fever star will face any problems.

As per the lawsuit, her name has been mentioned to highlight the decisions Josh Bartelstein and other Suns and Mercury employees took that led to Gene Traylor’s demotion. Therefore, it is unlikely that Cunningham will face anything other than maybe a loss of face.

On the other side, it is possible that the Indiana Fever organization knew about this before or after trading for her. It is not a problem that can impact their on-court performances or their off-court image. Therefore, it is likely that this episode will pass, and Cunningham will continue to help her new team build towards the goal of winning a championship.

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