RealGM

Cleveland: Lavert, Niang, 2031 1st top 3 protected

Hawks: Hunter and Zeller

Or

Cleveland: Lavert and Okoro

Hawks: Hunter and Zeller

Or

Cleveland: Lavert, Okoro, Niang, and Thompson

Hawks: Hunter, Nance, and Zeller

Cavs need length on the wing. Can any of these variations get the Cavs Deandre Hunter?

Those protections need to be considerably higher. Hunter makes a lot of money for a player who regularly misses 30-40 games a season.

I don't see the Hawks being sellers unless they can get back their first-round pick. There is no incentive for them to get worse this year.

jbk1234 wrote:Those protections need to be considerably higher. Hunter makes a lot of money for a player who regularly misses 30-40 games a season.

He's only missed 30+ games once in his career actually.

I'd say he's appropriately paid given his production, age and injury history. If he didn't have health concerns he'd be underpaid as he's producing at a borderline all-star level this year for only 15% of the cap.

Top 4 protections is all the Cavs could ask for here, IMO.

ThatBoyNick wrote:

jbk1234 wrote:Those protections need to be considerably higher. Hunter makes a lot of money for a player who regularly misses 30-40 games a season.

He's only missed 30+ games once in his career actually.

I'd say he's appropriately paid given his production, age and injury history. If he didn't have health concerns he'd be underpaid as he's producing at a borderline all-star level this year for only 15% of the cap.

Top 4 protections is all the Cavs could ask for here, IMO.

He missed 29 games in 20-21 and 25 games last season. He's only managed to play 60+ games twice in his career and has never managed a 70 game season. I wouldn't trade that pick for him but YMMV.

toooskies wrote:I don't see the Hawks being sellers unless they can get back their first-round pick. There is no incentive for them to get worse this year.

I don't know what protections are on that pick, but Jalen Johnson suffered a pretty serious injury.

toooskies wrote:I don't see the Hawks being sellers unless they can get back their first-round pick. There is no incentive for them to get worse this year.

Even if they get their first back this year, not owning your own first in 26 and 27 means Atlanta no real incentive to move Hunter. Not saying they won't if they can get a good enough offer, but Atlanta needs the scoring Hunter can provide.

I do think Atlanta should try to sell high on Hunter, but I have no interest in Cleveland being the destination. His percentages are coming back down to his career averages, and I don't think he's worth the risk for Cleveland.

mcfly1204 wrote:I do think Atlanta should try to sell high on Hunter, but I have no interest in Cleveland being the destination. His percentages are coming back down to his career averages, and I don't think he's worth the risk for Cleveland.

Agreed, I just saw a report they’re having discussions about Lavert+ for Hunter. I think Lavert and Okoro for Hunter and Zeller would get Cavs under the luxury tax.

bgrep14 wrote:

mcfly1204 wrote:I do think Atlanta should try to sell high on Hunter, but I have no interest in Cleveland being the destination. His percentages are coming back down to his career averages, and I don't think he's worth the risk for Cleveland.

Agreed, I just saw a report they’re having discussions about Lavert+ for Hunter. I think Lavert and Okoro for Hunter and Zeller would get Cavs under the luxury tax.

Atlanta is only $1,284,000 under the tax, so this pushes Atlanta into it.

I might be crazy, but I think LeVert guards the 3 better than Hunter. LeVert's less efficient as a shooter but does more than just shoot. They are both about the same level of injury-prone. LeVert is on a cheaper expiring contract and will likely be re-signable for even less for the next two years if the Cavs want to take their salary to that level.

I would not give up a future 1st to make the swap. I'm not sure I do it with no picks involved.

toooskies wrote:I might be crazy, but I think LeVert guards the 3 better than Hunter. LeVert's less efficient as a shooter but does more than just shoot. They are both about the same level of injury-prone. LeVert is on a cheaper expiring contract and will likely be re-signable for even less for the next two years if the Cavs want to take their salary to that level.

I would not give up a future 1st to make the swap. I'm not sure I do it with no picks involved.

Lavert isn’t physically built well enough to cover the 3 position. Cavs got murdered on the boards yesterday because they lack physicality in general and I think Hunter combats this and creates a better matchup on switches with Brown, Tatum, and Horford. I think there’s a way to do the trade without first’s. I think they can route Lavert to the Pistons for Fontoccio and 2nds to stay under the tax threshold if necessary and save money.

bgrep14 wrote:

toooskies wrote:I might be crazy, but I think LeVert guards the 3 better than Hunter. LeVert's less efficient as a shooter but does more than just shoot. They are both about the same level of injury-prone. LeVert is on a cheaper expiring contract and will likely be re-signable for even less for the next two years if the Cavs want to take their salary to that level.

I would not give up a future 1st to make the swap. I'm not sure I do it with no picks involved.

Lavert isn’t physically built well enough to cover the 3 position. Cavs got murdered on the boards yesterday because they lack physicality in general and I think Hunter combats this and creates a better matchup on switches with Brown, Tatum, and Horford. I think there’s a way to do the trade without first’s. I think they can route Lavert to the Pistons for Fontoccio and 2nds to stay under the tax threshold if necessary and save money.

Based on what? For me, Hunter is the epitome of "looks great on paper", but you just don't see the size translate in game.

I'm open to the argument that Hunter provides more of what the Cavs need, and I irrationally favor any trade that removes Niang as an option for Atkinson, but I'm not including that pick.

bgrep14 wrote:

toooskies wrote:I might be crazy, but I think LeVert guards the 3 better than Hunter. LeVert's less efficient as a shooter but does more than just shoot. They are both about the same level of injury-prone. LeVert is on a cheaper expiring contract and will likely be re-signable for even less for the next two years if the Cavs want to take their salary to that level.

I would not give up a future 1st to make the swap. I'm not sure I do it with no picks involved.

Lavert isn’t physically built well enough to cover the 3 position. Cavs got murdered on the boards yesterday because they lack physicality in general and I think Hunter combats this and creates a better matchup on switches with Brown, Tatum, and Horford. I think there’s a way to do the trade without first’s. I think they can route Lavert to the Pistons for Fontoccio and 2nds to stay under the tax threshold if necessary and save money.

The Cavs got "murdered" on the boards... by 2. Hunter is taller/longer but in his career has rebounded no better than LeVert has.

The Cavs often put LeVert on the other team's best perimeter threat to close games. Hunter is not that player even if he matches up slightly better against bigger players. Most teams close smaller rather than staying big, and the Cavs want to close with two bigs most of the time. The issue at the 4 is only in bench minutes.

If you want more confidence in the Cavs' backup 4 spot because you can't count on Dean Wade's health, go get another defensive backup 4 rather than an offense-first 3/4.

Cavs get: De'Andre Hunter and Larry Nance Jr.
Hawks get: Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Georges Niang and '31 unprotected first

Why?
Cavs add a wing with size and a back-up forward.
Hawks receive a solid package and a high variable first.

JJ_PR wrote:Cavs get: De'Andre Hunter and Larry Nance Jr.
Hawks get: Max Strus, Isaac Okoro, Georges Niang and '31 unprotected first

Why?
Cavs add a wing with size and a back-up forward.
Hawks receive a solid package and a high variable first.

No way I'd trade an unprotected 1st for Hunter.