After reporting on Wednesday that the Cavaliers‘ front office was hesitant to trade De’Andre Hunter for less than it gave up to acquire him a year ago (Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and two pick swaps), Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints now hears the veteran forward is likely to be moved prior to the February 5 deadline (Twitter links).
The Lakers and a “couple other” teams have been speaking to the Cavs about Hunter, league sources tell ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Times previously cited Hunter as a possible Lakers target.
The Nets have emerged as a team willing to help facilitate a deal, according to Siegel, and L.A. has shown interest in Haywood Highsmith and Day’Ron Sharpe. Siegel doesn’t state it outright, but that construct implies Brooklyn would likely take on unwanted Lakers salaries in exchange for draft assets.
As Siegel writes, some members of Cleveland’s front office support the idea of moving off Hunter’s contract, with second-year Lakers forward Dalton Knecht heading back to Cleveland. That suggests the Cavaliers, who are the only NBA team over the second tax apron and are projected to have a massive luxury tax bill, view a potential deal as a salary dump.
Still, Siegel cautions that talks have been ongoing, so that three-team construct is merely one of multiple possibilities.
Hunter is converting a career-worst 30.9% of his three-point attempts this season after making a career-high 40.5% of his outside looks in 2024/25. For context, his career percentage is in the middle of those two figures (36.5%).
Hunter, 28, is owed $23.3MM in ’25/26 and $24.9MM in ’26/27. In 42 games this season, he has averaged 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 26.2 minutes per contest.
Can see cavs starting to trim payroll soon enough. This maybe the start of said cost savings. Required is the double big lineup due to the double small non defending guards.
Time for a change if crash out early.
NBA is not like MLB where there’s no harm in money, nowadays you become the phoenix suns if you spend too much
I don’t think any team should risk being in the 2nd apron
Jaylon Tyson’s emergence has definitely made the Cavs feel more comfortable about shipping Hunter out.
With a healthy team and the emergence of Tyson, it DOES make Hunter more expendable. But having him as #1 insurance and #2 as a very high caliber 8th man that can help extend/maintain the lead against 2nd units is a big boom. The issue is this 2nd apron and eventually the Cavs will have to make moves to get under it or risk losing future picks do to the penalties. Sucks they gave up so much to get him, but if they can get him off their books and get under the 2nd apron, that would save the owner like 100 million and allow the Cavs to be more flexible and also easier to retain Dean Wade who is an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Nets will be happy to take the Cavs 28th pick to help them move Hunter!
Nets don’t have enough space to absorb that contract. I think they “only” have 15ish mill of cap space. But hey, I’d do Cam Thomas and Highsmith for Hunter and a swap.
The Nets are going to be the 3rd wheel with the Fakers getting Hunter. The Nets may take Kleber or Vincent, or Rui to make the money balance and the Cavs get Knecht. And the Nets will get a pick or swap for it.