If anyone was going to play the finger-pointing game with reasons for the slow start of the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, it would not take long to land on De'Andre Hunter. Despite that, the Cavaliers reportedly have not wavered in their commitment to the recent arrival in Cleveland.
“I’m told that they’ve already gotten offers for De’Andre, including one that they rebuffed,” Chris Fedor said during an appearance on the Wine and Gold Talk podcast.
That little bit of information holds a ton of valuable intel for fans in Cleveland. Hunter's struggles, paired with his price tag, have been a bad combination in the early parts of 2025-26. If what Fedor has said is true, the Cavaliers front office is tipping their hand on both their feelings towards their forward and the team as a whole.
Cavaliers are fully committed to De'Andre Hunter and the rest of this core
Hunter wanted to be a starter in Cleveland. At a salary of $23.3 million for the 2025-26 season, that is where one would expect a high-earning player like him. That did not work out.
The Cavaliers forward has shifted back to the bench in favor of Dean Wade. That created an understandable discussion of whether a struggling team like Cleveland should start making plans to relocate Hunter in an effort to escape their current financial situation.
It was a warranted talking point. Hunter's defense looked bad with the starters. His scoring efficiency took a hit as well. If poor performances relegated him back to the bench, surely a team in need of change would consider the prospects of moving him.
As of now, the interest of pulling the trigger on that does not appear to be there. Fedor also mentioned that offers for Wade, who replaced Hunter as a starter, are similarly being turned away.
It sure sounds like Koby Altman is sticking to his guns when it comes to believing in his current group, despite the slow start.
Jake Fischer recently suggested the Cavaliers are not ready to make any firm decisions on their future. They are still in the figuring out process of this trade season, according to the NBA insider.
The trade deadline will arrive quickly from here. The time is set for 3 p.m. ET on Feb. 5 That leaves only a touch over one month left to go for the Cavaliers to feel vindicated about pushing forward with what they have.
However, to loop back to Fischer, Cleveland was expected to be 'very open' for business if mediocrity was the trend moving forward. The Cavaliers must reward the faith and good will they still hold during January.