The Cleveland Cavaliers seemed intent on staying silent at the coming trade deadline, but that decision may be out of their control.
De'Andre Hunter, the fourth-highest paid Cavalier this season, reportedly wants a trade just one year after joining the squad at the last trade deadline. Cleveland is sitting at seventh in the Eastern Conference with a 22-19 record, and Hunter's early Cavs tenure has been far less productive than what many expected from the 6-foot-8 athletic forward.
Earlier this season, the Cavaliers were reportedly rebuffing any trade offers for Hunter, believing he was capable of being a more productive player than he had shown this year. He was brought to Cleveland as the potential solution to the team's long-standing struggle to find the right 3-and-D forward to match the core four.
After opening the season in the starting lineup, Hunter's role has continually fluctuated until he fell back to the bench unit. The Cavaliers' starting lineup has since struggled to find any consistency, and the wing depth chart has become increasingly perplexing.
Despite the Cavs' patience for Hunter's growth, the partnership may be ending early if the latest rumor is true.
If the Cavs end the Hunter experiment early, bringing back the right return is an absolute necessity for a team struggling to rediscover their dominant identity against conference rivals. After winning 64 games last regular season, Cleveland's defensive identity is slipping, especially on the perimeter.
Hunter was supposed to help fix that. His physical build and defensive potential were valuable selling points alongside his elite offensive production with career three-point shooting above 40 percent.
Cavaliers need to exchange Hunter for depth
While Hunter has struggled with the Cavaliers, he is still a prominent option for many teams searching for wing depth and scoring versatility. Much of Hunter's downward impact this season is likely created by constant roster instability from injuries and a desperate need to play Hunter out of position at the four spot rather than his natural position.
Hunter is averaging 13.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, shooting 30.3 percent on three-pointers. Almost half of his minutes this season have been spent as a power forward, a role he is not suited to play consistently. A team trading for Hunter needs to believe they can rebuild his value and add him to an offensive system that can feed his shooting and shot creation.
Owed $23.3 million this season, trading Hunter could return the Cavs solutions to both their perimeter defense and frontcourt weaknesses, albeit at the risk of losing overall talent and scoring output.
Few teams will heavily prioritize Hunter on the trade market with stars like Ja Morant attempting to force a mid-season exit. Yet, the Cavs could find a best-case solution not too far from home.
Building the trade
The Chicago Bulls are building towards postseason contention in the near future. With the emergence of Josh Giddey and an array of trade candidates on the roster, Hunter could be an ideal fit to add more size and shooting to the promising young squad.
If the Bulls show interest, the Cavs would likely have to include some level of minor draft compensation to goad Chicago into absorbing Hunter's salary and remaining contract years. Still, the cost may be worth it if the Cavaliers can add depth to their lineup.
The Cavaliers cannot afford to deal away many more draft picks for the future, but they have already punted on the 2028 Draft, building out a multi-team draft swap in the midst of the failing Hunter trade. Ayo Dosunmu has transformed into a hybrid of a guard and wing with the Bulls, becoming the team's go-to perimeter defender and a solid all-around offensive option.
Dosunmu would be an immediate solution to the Cavaliers' lacking point-of-attack defense, and his recent improved three-point shooting (45 percent) could be a valuable asset for Cleveland's backcourt and wing rotations.
Jalen Smith may not be as promising of a young prospect as Dosunmu, but he offers another look for a frontcourt lineup. He is a solid three-point shooter and rebounder, giving Cleveland a good option to back up Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen alongside Thomas Bryant.
In effect, the Cavaliers are not likely to replace Hunter with a perfect mix of talent and financial upside. Dosunmu is an expiring $7.5 million this season, meaning the Cavs would have to commit a new contract at a higher price tag to keep him in town in the summer. If his impact is as positive as the Cavs hoped Hunter's would be, though, then that might be more than worth the cost.
Hunter cannot force a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He is not a star player on an expiring contract. He is, however, an expensive player who can easily bomb his trade value by causing internal conflict and refusing to play. If he is ready to move on, the Cavs may be happier on the other side by dealing him now for defense and depth.