Surrendering Caris LeVert and Georges Niang was not a simple move for the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeVert had been a steady presence and offensive force over years with Cleveland, and Niang provided three-point shooting in the frontcourt the Cavs rarely enjoyed since Kevin Love's exit.
Thankfully for LeVert and Niang, their new home has been a positive change. Niang has already produced plenty of viral moments with his patented trash talk, and LeVert has added another offensive leader to the Hawks' squad.
Now playing for the Atlanta Hawks, LeVert and Niang were exchanged for De'Andre Hunter ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline. Hunter marked the first trade the Cavs closed since Donovan Mitchell's arrival in 2022 - not counting Max Strus' 2023 sign-and-trade. Hunter, a 6'8" combo forward offered the Cavaliers another three-point shooter with size and versatility.
Hunter joined the Hawks one pick ahead of Darius Garland in the 2019 NBA Draft. The former Virginia Cavalier saw much success in college as an elite defensive forward with athleticism and shooting. In Atlanta, the team's lack of defensive focus never lent itself to Hunter's defense translating to the next level. It became a questionable piece of his game, despite having the physical build to be a top notch NBA defender.
When the Cavaliers added the 27-year-old veteran, his ability to shift into Cleveland's system would be the biggest question. His skillset matched what the Cavs needed, but after years without making a trade, Hunter's arrival shook up the locker room and wing rotation.
Since joining the Cavaliers, Hunter has shown his two-way impact beyond what his Hawks days would have suggested.
Hunter is the player the Cavaliers need
Cleveland saw the blueprint for Hunter in Dean Wade. After building his career up from the G League, Wade's 3-and-D archetype proved exactly what the Cavaliers were missing. Wade is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA and has an excellent three-point shot when he's in stride.
The newest Cavs forward has become a supercharged version of Dean Wade. Hunter has incredible athleticism, a seven-foot wingspan, volume shooting and surprising positional versatility. In Cleveland, Hunter is averaging 14 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 47.3 percent from deep through 17 games. He and his former Virginia teammate Ty Jerome are often the first two Cavaliers off the bench, entering the game to add size and versatility to the lineup.
Hunter's instant chemistry with Jerome helped him enter the organization. Offensively, Hunter is exactly what the Cavaliers were looking for. Despite coming off the bench, he has been one of the leading Cavs scorers in numerous games, adding fuel to an ongoing win streak that reached 16 games before meeting his first Cavaliers loss. Shooting nearly 50 percent from three is already jaw-droppinge enough, but Hunter goes beyond that. Hunter has an overall effective field goal percentage of 62.9, good enough for 92nd percentile across the league, per Cleaning the Glass. (subscription required).
Defensively, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson has thrown Hunter into the fire. While there have been hiccups on defense (a problem the entire organization is battling right now), the former Virginia Cavalier is holding his own. He has not shied away from guarding the league's best rivals, including Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard.
The Cavaliers are nearing the playoffs with the best forward depth chart the franchise has seen since LeBron James' second departure, and Hunter is a major factor. While Max Strus is an ultimate glue guy and volume shooter, Hunter is a perfect piece to add size and strength to the rotation. As the Cavaliers battle to maintain their top seeding and rediscover their lacking defensive identity, Hunter's steady presence will be a significant plus.
When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for De'Andre Hunter, they likely hoped to see his floor spacing as an offensive tool. Likely, though, they could not have predicted nearly 50 percent through 17 games and improved defensive influence after years of falling behind. Hunter is everything the Cavs hoped for and more.