With a 41-10 record and the first seed in the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers decided to go all-in at the trade deadline. The Cavs acquired forward De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks, sending out Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round draft picks and two first-round pick swaps.
Hunter is having a career season, averaging 19 points per game, shooting 46 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. Standing at 6’8” with a 7’2” wingspan, Hunter fills Cleveland’s huge need at the wing spot.
There has been a lot of talk about the Cavs big trade deadline move, so what is the national media saying about the trade?
CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn gave the Cavs an A- for the deal and said the following: “Getting Hunter just opens up a lot more lineup flexibility for the Cavaliers. Obviously, he is a potential closer alongside the four core players, and in moments in which they need shooting, he'll be a clear candidate…To get a player like Hunter without sacrificing a first-round pick or an essential part of the rotation is an obvious win for them.”
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton also gave Cleveland an A- for acquiring Hunter, while outlining the financial side of the trade and how the franchise being aggressive was the right move: Short-term windows for contention are probably a reality in the second-apron era, and maximizing them is more important than pinching pennies for a future that might never come. With that in mind, I think the Cavaliers being aggressive was the right mindset before their most anticipated playoff run without LeBron James since the 1990s.”
The Athletic’s Zach Harper gave the Cavaliers an A+ for the deal, highlighting Hunter’s versatility as a perfect on-court fit on both ends, specifically defensively: Whether Hunter continues his role as a sixth man this season or moves into the starting lineup, he’s the perfect wing complement to everything the Cavs have going. While he’s had his defensive inconsistencies at times, slotting him into the system with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley behind him is going to greatly improve what he’s capable of doing on that end of the floor.”
Lastly, Yahoo! Sports’ Morten Stig Jensen also gave the Cavs an A+, saying the steep price they paid will end up being worth it: The Cavs, as they should, acted as buyers and got an agile and offensively explosive 6-foot-8 wing who will help strengthen their chances against the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. They paid up for it, forking over two first-round swaps and several seconds, but that's the cost of doing business for a contender.”
All in all, most national media outlets are huge fans of Cleveland going for it in a historic season and filling a big weakness. The excitement continues to build for the second half of the Cavs’ season.