The Cleveland Cavaliers have been knocking on the door of greatness for quite some time. They were on the cusp of a postseason appearance in 2021-22, took a massive step forward in 2022-23, and made their deepest playoff run of the post-LeBron James era in 2023-24.
The glaring void in the rotation throughout that time, however, was the absence of a consistently reliable option at small forward.
Isaac Okoro was drafted to fill the void, but has thus far fallen short of the lofty expectations placed upon him. During that same time, Cleveland built a roster that boasted one of the best four-man cores that the Association has to offer.
The results have been promising, as after winning 44 games in 2021-22, the Cavaliers acquired Donovan Mitchell and procured their first 50-win season in five years in 2022-23.
In 2023-24, the core of Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Mitchell, and Evan Mobley won the franchise's first playoff series since 2017-18. Even still, there was an unavoidable absence from the rotation at one of the most important positions in the modern NBA.
Thankfully, the Cavaliers have finally addressed the issue by acquiring De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks for a reasonable price.
The Atlanta Hawks are trading forward De'Andre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two swaps, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/5fpE4LJzpK
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
In one trade, Cleveland went from setting the pace for the Eastern Conference to making the leap to true contender status.
Cavaliers are a true contender after acquiring De'Andre Hunter
Hunter, 27, is the exact player that the Cavaliers have been missing over the past three-and-a-half seasons. A proven and productive veteran who checks invaluable boxes on both ends of the floor, he has the skill set to slot right into Cleveland's starting lineup.
A 3-and-D wing who has taken their scoring skill set to new heights in 2024-25, Hunter is a plug-and-play contributor with the talent to elevate the Cavaliers to the Conference Finals or beyond.
Hunter is currently averaging 19.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.6 three-point field goals made on .461/.393/.858 shooting. While not necessarily an elite defender, his floor-spacing and scoring skill set could prove invaluable.
Considering the current answer at small forward has been a revolving door of LeVert, Isaac Okoro, Max Strus, and Dean Wade, stability alone should help Kenny Atkinson.
The hope in Cleveland is likely that Hunter can rediscover the defensive form that once made him a coveted 3-and-D wing. If he can, then the Cavaliers will have a significantly better answer to throw at teams such as the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks along the wings.
As a result, the Cavaliers' core of four All-Stars will have the starting-caliber support to realize their potential as a championship-level group.
There will be a learning curve, of course, as is always the case when a player is acquired mid-season. Hunter is a proven commodity, however, with career postseason averages of 16.3 points and 4.8 rebounds on .480/.400/.783 shooting.
If the Cavaliers get from Hunter what he's so often provided in the past, then their championship window will have officially opened in 2024-25.