The Jaylon Tyson experience is about to get even more fun. In his second season, the Cavaliers wing has been perhaps the most encouraging story in a season that is slowly (but surely) getting more encouraging as we progress. Now, after the Cavaliers traded De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, Tyson's workload is about to increase substantially. This is a massive vote of confidence from the front office — and it's easy to see where that confidence comes from.
Tyson is averaging 13.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, shooting an outrageous 46.3% from 3-point range, and he's doing that in under 28 minutes per game. With Hunter (who was averaging 26 minutes per game) no longer in the picture, Tyson is now this team's sole wing option. It appears the Cavs front office fully believes in what it's seeing from the former California star, and Mike Gansey used his breakout to strengthen the backcourt with a reliable veteran and a high-level defender.
Did the Cavs cook here? Kind of feels like it. This is a smart move that makes the Cavaliers better right now without making fans nervous about any long-term consequences.
Cavaliers show trust in Tyson, trade De'Andre Hunter to Kings
It's hard to overstate how important Tyson's breakout has been for the future of the Cleveland Cavaliers. I know that sounds dramatic, but without his production, this trade would not have made any sense, and the Cavs would have been far more hamstrung at this deadline.
Instead, Tyson looks like a longterm answer at small forward, which allowed the Cavs to shop Hunter without fear of a lack of wing depth.
And make no mistake about it — this is a win-now move. Keon Ellis is not a household name, but he's exactly the type of player who can swing a game with his defensive upside. Schroder is still a steady veteran, too, who can certainly fill some guard minutes while Darius Garland is out, if nothing else. Was this trade made, in part, to get the Cavs out of the second apron? Perhaps! But it's also the rare cost-cutting move that improves a team.
You want to talk about a vibe shift in the past three weeks? I was getting dangerously close to caving to the anti-Cavs propaganda, but a hot streak and a smart trade have brought me back. Watch out, Eastern Conference! The Cavs have a point-of-attack guard defender!