The Cleveland Cavaliers had more than enough reasons to move on from De'Andre Hunter at the trade deadline. Their reluctance to sign him to a contract extension showed they had second thoughts about his future with the organization, and getting his deal off the books was a financial priority.
Hunter showed glimpses of strong play last season, especially on the defensive end of the floor, but he failed to keep that momentum going this year. Also, they needed his contract to match the salaries of Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder.
Acquiring Ellis and Schroder was a true blessing at first, and Ellis has done more than enough to get himself a new deal in Northeast Ohio. As for Schroder, well, it's safe to say the honeymoon phase is over.
Dennis Schroder could be a problem for the Cavs
On paper, Schroder was a perfect pickup for Kenny Atkinson's team. He's a leader and enforcer who's going to compete hard in every play and demand the same from everybody else, and an instant offensive catalyst off the bench who could also fill in as a starter if needed.
That was certainly the case at first, but he's been borderline unplayable over the past month or so. He's been wildly inconsistent on offense, and he's not the type of lockdown defender who could make up for his offensive shortcomings by shutting down the opposition.
You never know what version of him you're going to get, and while having a short memory and great confidence is good for great shooters, he's not one. He's shooting 28.3 percent from beyond the arc, and the Cavs can't afford to have him trying to shoot his way out of a slump when he's simply not that guy.
Schroder has extensive postseason experience, and that could be helpful for a Cavs team that has struggled with character -- or lack thereof -- once the postseason arrives. That said, his postseason averages of 11.9 points, 3.7 assists and 2.3 rebounds aren't that impressive, either.
Coach Aktinson will have to figure out a way to hide him in the playoffs, maybe staggering James Harden's and Donovan Mitchell's minutes and having Max Strus or Jaylon Tyson at the shooting guard spot for long stretches.
Every trade comes with risks, and while moving on from Hunter made perfect sense at the time, the Cavs went from a bad situation to another one with his replacement. Thankfully, Ellis has been worth all the hype and then some with his defensive energy and streaky scoring.