The Cleveland Cavaliers brought beloved combo guard Ty Jerome's best friend to the roster at the trade deadline, adding De'Andre Hunter in an all-in move.
Hunter is a winning player, developing from a college star to one of the NBA's best big wing role players. This season, he blossomed into the Atlanta Hawks' second-leading scorer with 19 points per game while shooting almost 40 percent from deep. His 6'8" frame allows him to be a plus defender, though his advanced numbers have not lived up to his collegiate hype while playing in a subpar defensive system in Atlanta.
The Cavaliers targeted Hunter as the final piece to their championship puzzle. He not only offers immediate impact, but his long-term contract and age at 27 years old fit Cleveland's timeline. If the Cavs can unlock Hunter's defensive potential and continue building his offense, he could become one of the many unforgettable Cavaliers role players who cement a spot in Northeast Ohio sports lore.
Cleveland expects Hunter to improve their chances of winning, as president of basketball operations Koby Altman has already expressed. Not just this year, but for many to come. In the short term, though, Hunter could change a lot for the Cavs this offseason.
The Cavaliers are getting expensive fast
In return for Hunter, the Cavaliers sent Atlanta Caris LeVert's expiring $16.5 million contract and Georges Niang's declining $8.5 million contract. Meanwhile, Hunter will be owed $23.3 million next season and $24.9 million ahead of free agency in 2027. With the trade, the Cavs not only improved their wing depth but dipped below the luxury tax apron. This summer, though, that all changes.
According to Spotrac's Multi-Year Cap Sheet, the Cavaliers are projected to exceed the second apron by $2.5 million - with just 10 players on contract. Hunter will be the fourth-highest salary, as Jarrett Allen's maximum extension kicks in the following season. Beyond the core four and Hunter, Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, Jaylon Tyson and Craig Porter, Jr. are the only Cavs on guaranteed deals. Sam Merrill and Ty Jerome enter unrestricted free agency in 2025.
Entering the second apron was a guarantee after this summer when the Cavaliers dished out maximum extensions for Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Allen. Darius Garland already signed his deal, meaning the Cavs will have four max contracts soon. Hunter exasperates that, but he also is a guaranteed starting small forward if he continues his progression.
Trading LeVert did not only open opportunities for Hunter. His departure made a statement toward the Cavaliers' backcourt, solidifying Ty Jerome as the de facto third guard and second unit leader. After missing nearly an entire season to injury in 2023-24, Jerome has been one of the best surprise contributors across the NBA, averaging a career-high 11.3 points per game and becoming an X-Factor toward Cleveland's success through the first 52 games.
Typically, franchises have an easy time retaining their free agents if they choose to do so, but Jerome is in a uniquely complicated situation this summer.
Cleveland's Jerome money problem
Cleveland's front office prioritized getting under the luxury tax this season, at least to some extent. It was not because they believe the team is not ready to compete for the Finals. Rather, the maneuver was in hopes that it will allow them to extend their championship window by another year or two. Under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, top-spending organizations are heavily penalized. The luxury tax is more than an arbitrary number now. It can make or break an entire era for a team.
For the Cavaliers, their first mess to resolve will be how they can keep Jerome. In 2023, Jerome signed a two-year, $5 million deal. As he enters free agency again, the Cavs do not have his full Bird Rights. He was not signed on long enough to trigger full rights, meaning the Cavaliers are more limited in what they can offer him on a new deal.
On a new deal, the Cavaliers can offer Jerome up to 140% of his previous deal (roughly $3.6 annually) or the league average salary - whichever is higher. Likely, the average salary will be a higher total than a 40-percent raise. Given Jerome's impressive growth this season, however, teams with greater flexibility may see an opportunity to steal Cleveland's best bench player.
Frankly, the Cavs can be outbid financially for Jerome. Thankfully for Cleveland, Jerome will be unrestricted and can sign to a smaller contract if he believes there's reason to do so. That is where Hunter's arrival could change everything.
De'Andre Hunter could convince Jerome to stay with Cavaliers
As nearly every outlet has already covered, Jerome and Hunter are best friends. Together, they won the 2019 NCAA Divsion I Men's Basketball National Championship with none other than the Cavaliers (University of Virginia, to be clear).
Since their college days, Jerome and Hunter have stayed connected, getting dinner whenever they would play one another in the NBA. The Cavaliers have built their success in no small part due to the locker room chemistry, and Hunter will almost certainly elevate this for Jerome.
Hunter also has connections to Darius Garland, being a member of the same NBA Draft Class. If Hunter can assimilate to Cleveland's culture, he could be the catalyst in keeping Jerome happy with a smaller paycheck this summer. Jerome has never had his big NBA pay day. He would have every right, and reason, to chase one this offseason. But, if he stays in Cleveland for one more short-term, team-friendly deal, the Cavaliers would have his full Brid Rights and could reward him handsomely in the future.
Jerome and Hunter have won together before. They are a dynamic, talented duo. They provide the Cavaliers with two-way production, with a tall combo guard with crafty scoring talent and a big 3-and-D wing with elite defensive versatility. While neither is vying for an All-Star selection, they are stars in their respective roles with the Cavs. Keeping that together this summer could be worth enough to Jerome that more money is not important enough.
Every dollar has to come from somewhere, though. Will Cavs owner Dan Gilbert be willing to pay the bill? Cavaliers faithful should already know the answer.
When the Cavaliers are winning, no price is too high
The final question to ask here is "Will the Cavaliers actually pay Jerome?"
Theoretically, if the Cavaliers are already over the second apron, their best chance to win a title is by retaining the talent they already have. Once they exceed that threshold, the paths to adding more talent shrink significantly. They cannot take back any extra salary in trades and cannot aggregate salaries, either. Unless Cleveland is willing to be a seller in trades, they need to keep everybody they can.
Undoubtedly, that must include Jerome. Going back to the second LeBron James era, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert never hesitated to spend to win. The Cavs were an expensive franchise with James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love soaking up a vast majority of the available cap space. With three proven All-Stars and one of the best rim protecting bigs at the core, Cleveland has something just as special as that mid-2010's squad.
Cavs fans have little reason to doubt that Gilbert will have the same mentality, and open wallet, when it comes to this team's future. In Altman's post-deadline presser, he did not seem to show any concern for the financial future of the team. Instead, he assured media members who joined the virtual conference that the Cavaliers are committed to doing what is necessary to bring another title to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Until Gilbert shows hesitations or forces the Cavs' front office to dip back below that second apron, the expectations should be that they will pay their free agents. If Jerome is happy with the pay raise Cleveland can offer, the Cavaliers should pay it. The veteran guard proved himself this season to be a winning difference-maker, and if he can continue that into the postseason, his resume will speak for itself that even a league-average price tag will be a bargain for him.
As the NBA reshapes after the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers can hopefully feel confident that the consequences of their all-in move will be positive. Hunter's playstyle should make them a more fearsome comeptitor on the court, and his preexisting relationships should help Cleveland in the offseason.