Cleveland Cavaliers fans were glued to their phones on Tuesday when rumors discussing De'Andre Hunter wanting out of Northeast Ohio emerged. Suddenly, there is some serious doubt as to how much substance to those whispers there really was.
Matt Moore reported that Hunter, or at least his representatives, wanted a change of scenery. The main problem with the talking points that would soon follow? Moore got the representation wrong. The NBA reporter mistakenly had miscalculated who Hunter had been a client of.
Moore wrote, "I screwed up on something this morning and have issued a correction. I reported Klutch wanted De'Andre Hunter out of Cleveland, but in fact, Klutch doesn't rep him."
That raises a ton of questions immediately. Whatever truth there may have been to the idea of Hunter wanting out gets put under doubt right away. A lot of estimations about the Cavs forward trading places with the likes of Rui Hachimura or Miles Bridges is instantly put under the microscope. The urgency of the situation does not feel like what it was 24 hours ago.
De'Andre Hunter could be staying put in Cleveland after all
A trade involving Hunter should not be ruled out altogether. There is still reason to believe it might be in the Cavs' best interests to move on from the struggling forward before the NBA trade deadline regardless.
Hunter carries a sizeable price tag that is being underperformed in 2025-26. However, the Cavaliers continue to preach patience with this group. As such, a move may not be imminent by any means.
It is worth noting that Chris Fedor has reported the Cavaliers have turned down advances on Hunter. It would be for the very reason just discussed.
Fedor wrote, "Sources tell cleveland.com that team decision-makers have rebuffed trade offers to this point, including at least one for Hunter. ... There’s still belief in this group. A desire to see what it looks like at full strength — or close to it."
That just might be the best representation of where the situation is at.
Hunter has certainly left a lot to be desired with his production. The Cavs forward is averaging 13.9 points per game on 42.5 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from beyond the arc. The former top-five pick has also delivered disappointing defensive play to go with that.
However, this is only the halfway point of the 2025-26 season. Most indicators suggest the Cavs continue to extend leniency to this roster. The next few weeks should fully reveal just how much of that there is to go around.