Cavaliers' De'Andre Hunter trade proves they're serious about title push

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a big move to bolster their roster on Thursday ahead of the NBA trade deadline, landing wing De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks, according to ESPN.

Cleveland sent Atlanta Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second round picks, and a pair of pick swaps in the deal.

It's a hefty price tag, particularly in the draft pick department, but it gives Cleveland a significant upgrade to a roster that had already emerged as one of the biggest surprises of the first half of the NBA season.

The Cavs are 41-10 this season, a full five games better than the second-place Boston Celtics in the east, and dead level with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the top of the NBA (Cleveland has one more win and one more loss than OKC at this point).

The combination of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland at the guard spots, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen down low gives Cleveland a deep, talented roster for an inside-out game.

The problem? Prior to this deal, Cleveland's best wings were Ty Jerome, LeVert and Isaac Okoro. None of them are more than 6'5", and aren't really the best fit as the swing man between the Garland-Mitchell backcourt and the Mobley-Allen frontcourt.

Hunter fills that niche perfectly, and he's also having the best statistical season of his career in 2024-25. He's averaging 19 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 46.1 percent from the floor and 39.3 percent from three. More important than that, he's getting to the free throw line twice more per game than he ever has in his career, showing that he's slashing and cutting to the basket more now than ever before.

He's a solid to excellent defender, with the length and size to hang with bigger players and the athleticism to stay in front of smaller ones.

In other words, he's a perfect fit on a Cavs team that was in dire need of a wing who can score.

Cleveland knows their window is right now; they're playing the best basketball this city has seen since LeBron James left, with a team that is deep, aggressive, and capable of scoring on pretty much anyone.

If there's a time to push your chips in and take a swing on a guy like Hunter, it's now. He fills the biggest need this roster has perfectly, and you didn't have to mortgage much of your depth to get him. He's a better defender than LeVert, and is shooting a higher percentage than him from the floor and the free throw line this season.

If the Cavs weren't among the favorites to win the NBA title this season before, they absolutely are now.

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