The Cavaliers bolster a position of need by trading for Hunter.
The Cleveland Cavaliers made a move to sure up a position of need at the NBA trade deadline by acquiring De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and two first-round pick swaps first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.
According to Brian Windhorst, the pick swaps are going to be in 2026 and 2028 which are already a part of the pick swaps in the Donovan Mitchell trade. The Cavs would get the worst of the first-round picks between Atlanta, the Utah Jazz, and their own.
Overall, this is a good deal and one that has allowed the Cavs to keep their best future assets in Jaylon Tyson and their 2031 first-round pick available. The deal also puts the Cavs below the luxury tax line for the time being, which has been a goal of the front office, given the implications of being the first and second apron.
The Cavs have been interested in Hunter since the 2019 NBA Draft. Hunter was selected one position ahead of Darius Garland. Five years later, they’ve added him to the team.
It isn’t difficult to see how Hunter fits with Cleveland. They’ve long needed someone who could stretch the floor while being able to comfortably switch between playing both the small and power forward positions. Hunter can do that.
Hunter spent the majority of his minutes last season playing the four and has played 47% of his minutes there this season. While he’s likely more suited to play the three due to not being an exceptional rebounder, this is something he has extensive experience with.
There are fewer questions about his fit on the offensive side of the ball. Hunter is averaging 19 points on 38.6% shooting from distance. Both numbers are career highs. This has translated to a 56.5% effective field goal percentage (65th percentile).
Moving LeVert is a difficult decision, but it makes sense. His contract is up after this season. Given the Cavs’ current cap position, that could’ve complicated negotiations. Trading LeVert before the summer for someone in Hunter who is under contract through the 2026-27 season makes sense.
Still, losing LeVert is difficult. He’s had his most consistent season as a Cavalier. It seemed as if LeVert had finally found a role within the offense after struggling to do so at times the last several seasons. As a result, LeVert was averaging 10.2 points and 4.1 assists on 45.3% shooting from the floor and 40.5% shooting from deep.
Ty Jerome’s resurgence has made LeVert’s playmaking expendable off the bench. Kenny Atkinson has mentioned recently that he wasn’t expecting Jerome to be in the rotation. He’s cemented himself in that role with his impressive play. The Cavs may however have a difficult time re-signing Jerome given how well he’s played.
Niang has provided good floor spacing for the Cavs the last few seasons, but the concerns on the defensive side of the ball have made it difficult to see him as a part of the playoff rotation. Some of those concerns were seen in the most recent loss to the Boston Celtics. He is averaging 8.7 points on 40% shooting from deep with 3.7 rebounds per game.
The Cavaliers will have two roster spots available after the trade, which would allow them to add depth to the frontcourt on the buyout market. Lonzo Ball and Ben Simmons have been named linked to the Cavs before. Ball has been taken off the board due to his recent extension with the Chicago Bulls, but Simmons could still be an option. We’ll see how the buyout market takes shape.
Cleveland still has the ammo to upgrade this team in the summer with Tyson and the 2031 first-round pick still available to be moved. It’s difficult to see this as anything but a huge win for Koby Altman and the front office even if the move wasn’t for Cam Johnson.
The Cavs are title contenders this year. They made a move that reinforced their biggest weakness. That is something that was desperately needed in should help them match up better with teams like the Celtics and Oklahoma Thunder.