2 pros, 2 cons of Cleveland Cavaliers trading for De'Andre Hunter

Con No. 2 - Hunter's injury concerns

In Cleveland's domination over the the Hawks, Hunter was absent with a knee injury from late December. Through four full NBA seasons, Hunter has never eclipsed 70 games played. His sophomore season only ended with 23 games played.

Considering all of the Cavaliers' horrendous injury luck this season, adding an injury-prone player in Hunter might quickly transform into regret for the Cavs. Injuries are bound to happen, and while the Cavs have shown resiliency in the wake of missed time, it is only possible when they have a myriad of players who will be consistently available.

Hunter's last two full seasons have been relatively healthy, appearing in 53 and 67 games. Thus far, Hunter has missed 18 games out of a possible 42. With his costly contract and unfortunate injury history, the Cavaliers may feel more comfortable targeting other veteran forwards. Royce O'Neale's name has become a mainstay in the Cleveland basketball zeitgeist with his $9 million salary, career-long 3-and-D reputation and personal relationship with Donovan Mitchell as a former Jazz teammate.

The trade buzz is only growing for the NBA with the February 8 deadline only a couple of weeks away. With the Cavaliers as probable buyers, they undoubtedly have a long list of potential targets for a deal. While Hunter has his flaws, Cleveland's savvy front office knows what they need and what they are willing to pay to get it.