The trade to acquire De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks before the 2025 NBA trade deadline initially looked like a masterstroke from Koby Altman. Less than a calendar year since the original date of the deal, some are already questioning his long-term future with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Bobby Marks delivered a trade deadline primer for all 30 NBA teams on Dec. 15, the unofficial start to trade season. The front office focus in Cleveland was clear to the ESPN analyst.
Marks wrote, "Has Jaylon Tyson's emergence left De'Andre Hunter's future uncertain, especially once Max Strus returns to the starting lineup? ... Hunter has been productive (15.4 points per game) but is owed $24.9 million next season, when the Cavaliers are projected to be over the second apron."
Marks noted the trade for Hunter was made before a very notable breakout from Tyson. With the Cavaliers desperately struggling in their 3-point efficiency, the argument for Strus eclipsing Hunter in importance can be made too. Where does that leave the Cavs forward?
Cavaliers may already be preparing for another De’Andre Hunter trade
Amid a nightmare start at 15-12, nothing is truly out of the realm of possibility for the Cavaliers before February. Perhaps Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell can both feel largely at ease, but the other members of the team are anything but.
Cleveland has faced endless frustration with questions of their mental focus and effort levels running rampant. Unfortunately for him, Hunter has quietly been at the epicenter of that.
The former Sixth Man of the Year candidate pushed to be in the starting lineup ahead of the 2025-26 season. The results of that shift have not matched that fiery desire.
In 2025-26 thus far, Hunter is posting a net rating of -2.2. That is one of the worst marks on the Cavaliers, placing him 12th on the team. Only Darius Garland currently has a number that is less favorable of the starters.
A key part of that has been his lackluster defense. The Cavs forward has been beaten in a large manner of ways on that end of the court, resulting in a rating of 116.3 on the defensive end.
It's hard to say Hunter has been the driving force of the Cavaliers' problems. It's more so a case of him experiencing the symptoms of the larger issues at hand.
For any other team that is not in the circumstances of Cleveland, most of his struggles could probably get overlooked. Given the expectations, the second apron implications, and all the other mounting factors, that just isn't entirely the case as a member of the Cavaliers this season.