CLEVELAND — The NBA universe was rocked this past weekend with the announcement of a stunning blockbuster trade that altered the path of two franchises. Substantial moves followed throughout the league.
The question about whether the team with the Eastern Conference’s best record would make moves has been answered.
The Cavaliers (41-10) acquired forward De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two draft-pick swaps before Thursday’s trade deadline expired, according to an ESPN report.
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Cavs trade for De’Andre Hunter, send Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, picks to Hawks before NBA trade deadline
Hunter, a 6-foot-8 wing, is averaging 19.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while primarily coming off the Hawks’ bench.
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Now 27, Hunter was selected one pick before Darius Garland in the 2019 NBA Draft. He’ll give the Cavs a wing who can play both the small forward and power forward positions while adding some defensive length along the perimeter, similar to how dean Wade has been used. Hunter can also shoot the 3 (39.3 percent this season), giving the Cavs some additional spacing on the offensive end.
Hunter is a close friend of Ty Jerome after the pair helped the University of Virginia to a national championship.
LeVert had some extra value on the trade market due to his expiring deal. He had a $16.6 million cap hit this season. Hunter carries cap hits of $21.7 million, $23.3 million and $24.9 million over the next three years, respectively.
At the time of the trade, Hunter was also a top contender for Sixth Man of the Year.
A year ago, the Cavs were passive viewers of the trade deadline, as president of basketball operations Koby Altman noted that Cleveland just couldn’t find a significant enough upgrade they felt was worth a move. This year, it appears, Altman found the type of deal that worked for the Cavs.
Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade sets stage for NBA trade deadline
Saturday night’s Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers will go down as the headline move from around the NBA. Yet, a flurry of other moves ensued, including the Miami Heat sending Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.
The Cavaliers did indeed join the pre-deadline activity.
The Cavs entered Thursday with the second-best record in the NBA, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder (40-9), and holding and a five-game lead over the Boston Celtics (36-15), who have the No. 2 spot in the East.
It has been a season in which so much has gone right for the Cavs under first-year coach Kenny Atkinson, who has leaned into the roster’s strengths and optimized an offense that has been among the league’s best.
The Cavs will be heavily featured at this year’s All-Star Game. Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley all earned All-Star selections, and Atkinson will be featured as a coach after Cleveland clinched the top record in the East entering the break.
The question entering this week was whether the Cavs would be active before the deadline to bolster the roster, particularly as injuries have become a small issue (Dean Wade, Isaac Okoro), or if they’d stand pat, considering they’re on a 67-win pace.
Of course, the buyout market will be another option for the Cavs.
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When is the 2025 NBA trade deadline?
This year’s trade deadline was 3 p.m. Thursday.
