Everyone knew that the Cleveland Cavaliers needed to add a true wing to their roster. They finally filled that void by trading for De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday afternoon.
The Wine and Gold could have tried trading for plenty of other forwards, but there’s a reason why Hunter is a perfect fit with the Cavaliers, and here are three reasons why.
Hunter has become a well-known player in the NBA primarily for his elite defense.
The BBall Index graded Hunter’s perimeter isolation defense as an A-, which is an area where the Cavs desperately need more help, especially against teams with long and athletic wings, such as the Boston Celtics.
In the past, Cleveland has solely relied on Dean Wade to match up with the opposing team’s best forward.
Now Hunter, Wade, and Isaac Okoro can share the job of guarding the perimeter while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen protect the paint.
Hunter makes Cleveland one of the best and most dynamic defensive teams in the NBA.
Hunter is currently averaging a career-high 19.0 points per game. While he saw high usage rates and initiated the ball a lot with the Hawks, that will inevitably be diminished on the Cavaliers.
However, Hunter is still an elite off-ball player. He currently shoots 39.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 47.1 percent on wide-up shots from behind the arc.
With Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and Evan Mobley’s elite playmaking abilities, there will be plenty of opportunities for them to find open shots for Hunter and for him to knock them down.
Even though the newest Cavaliers forward may not score as much in Cleveland’s offense, he’ll still be an efficient offensive player.
Hunter has played a variety of roles with the Hawks through his first five seasons in the NBA. He’s been a starter, come off the bench, a top option on offense, and has shown some signs as a playmaker as well.
While Hunter will likely spend most of his time playing at the three with the Cavaliers, he can also slide up to play the power forward on occasion for more of a small ball look.
The 27-year-old is an incredibly versatile player, which will allow Kenny Atkinson to be creative in building his lineup.
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