2025-26 Off-Season

[JonFromVA]

202nd out of 569, which is 64th percentile. About average for a PF/SF, particularly since his ORBs suffer from him usually playing on the perimeter offensively.

Hunter is 334th, which is 41st percentile and more appropriate for a SG/SF rather than a PF.

It's not even that Wade's a good rebounder, but he does the job adequately for a PF/SF. Hunter is a bad rebounder for a PF/SF.

Hunter really isn't a 4. You can play him there in a small ball unit, but the Cavs are better when he's a the 3.

Atkinson uses Hunter almost exclusively as a 4.

That Wade lineup with Hunter was his most effective, though.

[JujitsuFlip]

Hunter really isn't a 4. You can play him there in a small ball unit, but the Cavs are better when he's a the 3.

Atkinson uses Hunter almost exclusively as a 4.

That Wade lineup with Hunter was his most effective, though.

Wade could be the 3 in those lines, hard to say; it is matchup dependent.

[jbk1234]

Atkinson uses Hunter almost exclusively as a 4.

That Wade lineup with Hunter was his most effective, though.

Wade could be the 3 in those lines, hard to say; it is matchup dependent.

No it's not.

[JonFromVA]

That Wade lineup with Hunter was his most effective, though.

Wade could be the 3 in those lines, hard to say; it is matchup dependent.

No it's not.

BBR only lists Hunter's top 10 lineups in terms of minutes on his player page, when we go to the team page we can see one of his other top lineups in terms of +/- features Allen and Mobley.

However you slice it, two of Hunter's best lineups has him slotted at SF.

The addition of Larry in addition to Wade should be welcome if they can stay healthy.

[JujitsuFlip]

That Wade lineup with Hunter was his most effective, though.

Wade could be the 3 in those lines, hard to say; it is matchup dependent.

No it's not.

Yes, it is.

As a Cav, Hunter is playing PF 71% of the time.

[JonFromVA]

Wade could be the 3 in those lines, hard to say; it is matchup dependent.

No it's not.

Yes, it is.

As a Cav, Hunter is playing PF 71% of the time.

Wade is listed as taller than Hunter so the lineup data will count Hunter as a SF in lineups with Wade and Mobley or Allen.

So, even with those minutes counting as him playing SF, you're correct KA is using Hunter in a lot of small ball lineups even in the playoffs.

I don't believe that's what's being disputed though.

When you look at the Net PP100 column in that lineup data, it's questionable whether those small ball lineups are effective. For instance, we've used Hunter a lot with Jerome-Merrill-Mitchell-Mobley and they were -0.1 in the regular season and -3.1 in the playoffs.

[JujitsuFlip]

No it's not.

Yes, it is.

As a Cav, Hunter is playing PF 71% of the time.

Wade is listed as taller than Hunter so the lineup data will count Hunter as a SF in lineups with Wade and Mobley or Allen.

So, even with those minutes counting as him playing SF, you're correct KA is using Hunter in a lot of small ball lineups even in the playoffs.

I don't believe that's what's being disputed though.

When you look at the Net PP100 column in that lineup data, it's questionable whether those small ball lineups are effective. For instance, we've used Hunter a lot with Jerome-Merrill-Mitchell-Mobley and they were -0.1 in the regular season and -3.1 in the playoffs.

I'm not saying Hunter is or should be a PF, I'm just saying that is how Atkinson utilizes him on the Cavs... For better or worse.

[JonFromVA]

Yes, it is.

As a Cav, Hunter is playing PF 71% of the time.

Wade is listed as taller than Hunter so the lineup data will count Hunter as a SF in lineups with Wade and Mobley or Allen.

So, even with those minutes counting as him playing SF, you're correct KA is using Hunter in a lot of small ball lineups even in the playoffs.

I don't believe that's what's being disputed though.

When you look at the Net PP100 column in that lineup data, it's questionable whether those small ball lineups are effective. For instance, we've used Hunter a lot with Jerome-Merrill-Mitchell-Mobley and they were -0.1 in the regular season and -3.1 in the playoffs.

I'm not saying Hunter is or should be a PF, I'm just saying that is how Atkinson utilizes him on the Cavs... For better or worse.

Yep, but when jbk says Hunter isn't a PF, he means he doesn't fulfill the roles of a PF. Of course sacrificing paint defense and rebounding for switchability and shooting can work, but the evidence of that is not good.

But maybe we're just going too small with Jerome, Merrill, and Strus....

[JujitsuFlip]

Wade is listed as taller than Hunter so the lineup data will count Hunter as a SF in lineups with Wade and Mobley or Allen.

So, even with those minutes counting as him playing SF, you're correct KA is using Hunter in a lot of small ball lineups even in the playoffs.

I don't believe that's what's being disputed though.

When you look at the Net PP100 column in that lineup data, it's questionable whether those small ball lineups are effective. For instance, we've used Hunter a lot with Jerome-Merrill-Mitchell-Mobley and they were -0.1 in the regular season and -3.1 in the playoffs.

I'm not saying Hunter is or should be a PF, I'm just saying that is how Atkinson utilizes him on the Cavs... For better or worse.

Yep, but when jbk says Hunter isn't a PF, he means he doesn't fulfill the roles of a PF. Of course sacrificing paint defense and rebounding for switchability and shooting can work, but the evidence of that is not good.

But maybe we're just going too small with Jerome, Merrill, and Strus....

We knew that prior to trading for him though lol

It's not like the guy was some rebounding maestro then arrived in CLE and all of a sudden forgot how to rebound.

I like Hunter, he's just not the starting SF we thought we were trading for. So now Atkinson brings him off the bench as the primary back-up 4.

[JonFromVA]

I'm not saying Hunter is or should be a PF, I'm just saying that is how Atkinson utilizes him on the Cavs... For better or worse.

Yep, but when jbk says Hunter isn't a PF, he means he doesn't fulfill the roles of a PF. Of course sacrificing paint defense and rebounding for switchability and shooting can work, but the evidence of that is not good.

But maybe we're just going too small with Jerome, Merrill, and Strus....

We knew that prior to trading for him though lol

It's not like the guy was some rebounding maestro then arrived in CLE and all of a sudden forgot how to rebound.

I like Hunter, he's just not the starting SF we thought we were trading for. So now Atkinson brings him off the bench as the primary back-up 4.

*shrugs* The only reason I'd be hesitant about starting Hunter at SF is due to his injury history and because no matter what you call him his length is helpful when Allen (or Mobley) sits.