The Cavs have obtained a new wing, hoping it will push them to the promised land.
What are the Cavs getting?
De’Andre Hunter is a 27-year-old, 6-foot-8, 225-pound wing specializing in scoring, particularly from the mid-range and three. This season, 50.2% of his shot diet has been from deep, where he connects on 39.3% of them. Hunter can hold his own on defense, which could look better under the Cavs’ defensive infrastructure.
As injuries began to pile up, it became obvious that Cleveland needed an upgrade and long-term option at the backup 3/4 spot. Dean Wade has been outstanding in his extended role this year but has struggled to stay on the court. Hunter has played 60% of his NBA minutes as a small forward and 39% at power forward.
Stats
- 19 PPG
- 3.9 RPG
- 1.5 APG
- 0.8 SPG
- 0.1 BPG
- 61.6 TS%
- 4.1 FTM/4.8 FTA/ 85.8 FT%
- 28.8 minutes per game
Potential Roles
Considering how many different starters Kenny Atkinson has used, it’s safe to assume Hunter will have a shot at earning the starting small-forward spot. The offensive fit is strong, as the Cavs often use sets for shooters and want to shoot threes early and often.
In January, 39.7% of the Cavs’ points were three-pointers, ranked fifth in the league. This season, Hunter has seen a lot of usage as a spacer, movement shooter and closeout attacker. Even though Hunter only shoots 14.4% (the lowest percentage of his career) of his shots at the rim, he has flourished off the bench for the Atlanta Hawks.
Defensively, he does not stuff the stat sheet regarding steals, blocks or rebounds. Early expectations are for him to guard bigger wings like Jayson Tatum, OG Anunoby, Franz Wagner, etc. His isolation defense has consistently been graded as good, which is a massive addition to a team that likes to switch, particularly late in games.
Trade Grade
- October 17, 2022, De’Andre Hunter signed a four-year, $90 million extension.
Cleveland found a way to keep their 2031 first-round draft pick, along with former first-round picks Isaac Okoro and Jaylon Tyson. This vote of confidence allows them to make trades after the season while keeping the team on the same timeline.
Caris LeVert spent four years in Cleveland. He’s in his age-30 season and will enter free agency this summer. Niang had another year but couldn’t hold his own in space quite like Dean Wade or Hunter could.
In terms of asset management, this deal was a home run.
Cleveland has stood tall as the Eastern Conference’s number-one seed all season. Koby Altman and the organization believe that this team can win the title this year.
An underrated aspect of the deal is the added size. The Cavs now have multiple 6-foot-5 and taller guys who can shoot and defend. The NBA is seeing this formula develop quickly. With all the size, defense and shooting in Boston, many rivals are building teams with size on the wing.
TRADE GRADE: A
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