3 best De’Andre Hunter trade destinations if Cavs shake things up

It may not be panic time quite yet for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but every loss must be sending the Cavs closer and closer to manning their panic stations. They are now 17-15 on the season after suffering a fourth-quarter meltdown on Christmas Day en route to a 126-124 loss to the New York Knicks, and this level of performance is simply not going to cut it for the team with the most expensive roster in the association.

While reports have indicated that Cleveland is not going to be making any major roster decisions midseason, preferring instead to explore overhaul scenarios come offseason time if they end up flaming out early in the playoffs yet again, the growing unease within the team could push them to make desperation moves.

To that end, someone like De’Andre Hunter, whom the Cavs acquired last February, could end up being available for trade. Having plenty of 3-and-D wings is a must for any contending team, but his $23.3 million salary for this season could become a trade chip to bring in a potential upgrade, or for future cap obligations relief.

If Hunter becomes available on the trade market, here are four teams that make sense as potential destinations for the Cavs forward.

3. Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are in shambles at the moment; they have lost three consecutive games and their defense is a right old mess. They now have the sixth-worst defense in the NBA (in terms of defensive rating), allowing 118.1 points per 100 possessions. And their offense hasn’t been good enough as of late to cover for their woes on that end of the floor, especially now that Austin Reaves will miss at least one month with a calf strain.

Considering that the Lakers are in win-now mode with LeBron James being in the twilight of his career and Luka Doncic being at the peak of his powers, many expect the Purple and Gold to be an active buyer with trade season underway.

While Laker fans would most certainly want their team to pull off a blockbuster trade, all indications are pointing to their front office making a minor move or two instead to try and bolster the roster. They are saving their assets for 2027, when the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, and Donovan Mitchell could hit free agency.

Acquiring Hunter in a trade with the Cavs shouldn’t put too much of a damper on the Lakers’ long-term plans, as his contract will expire in 2027. With the Lakers in need of more size and speed on the wing, pulling off a trade for Hunter built on the contracts of Gabe Vincent and Maxi Kleber could work. But the Cavs wouldn’t simply trade Hunter for the sake of doing so, and the Lakers will not be overpaying for his services, rendering the two incompatible trade partners.

2. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are another aging team that needs a change or two to try and maximize yet another brilliant season from 38-year-old Stephen Curry. They are also one of the teams most prominently mentioned in trade rumors, what with the Dubs most likely about to find a new home for Jonathan Kuminga when his trade restriction is lifted on the 15th of January.

Kuminga’s trade value wildly varies depending on who one asks; some believe he’s an All-Star-caliber player whose growth has been stunted by Steve Kerr’s coaching, while some think that he won’t be anything more than an empty stats scorer on a losing team.

The Dubs can dream all they want of trading Kuminga for a star. But the fact of the matter is that he’s not even playing a huge rotation role for them at the moment, and he’s not even performing well in the limited minutes he’s getting. His trade value is at its worst.

There will always be a team who could take on Kuminga’s potential; perhaps that team is the Cavs. A three-team trade structure where the Warriors get Hunter while the Cavs get Kuminga could work; but is Hunter the kind of piece the Dubs would want to get for someone they’ve had so many high hopes for over the past few years?

1. Orlando Magic

The Magic, much like the Cavs, will be facing a cap crunch over the next few years. They have the huge contracts of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, and Jalen Suggs on the books; this is going to force them into a tough roster decision in the coming years.

According to reports, Jonathan Isaac is the most likely Magic player to get traded away for cap relief. Isaac signed a five-year, $84 million contract extension with the team just last year, but considering the team’s cap situation, he has emerged as the most expendable player on the Magic roster.

To that end, perhaps the Cavs would be interested to bring Isaac in, sending Hunter to Orlando in exchange.

The Magic and Cavs’ cap situations will be making this trade a difficult one to pull off. At that point, Orlando may no longer be interested, as they will have to add Tyus Jones and Jett Howard (or at least make up the $8.3 million difference between Hunter and Isaac’s salaries on the season) just to make the money work.

However, Hunter’s contract will be expiring in 2027, and Orlando can always move him this offseason to create even more room in their cap sheet. His contract will be expiring come offseason time, making him an appealing trade asset for teams that have some players they want to get off the books themselves.

Orlando is still a defense-first team, but their frontcourt is stacked (Wendell Carter Jr., Goga Bitadze, and Moe Wagner when he’s healthy), rendering Isaac an expendable piece. Hunter, meanwhile, provides more depth for the wing for the Magic and another scorer who can do damage off the dribble.

For the Cavs, Isaac could pair with Mobley or Allen in lockdown defensive lineups; having Isaac around as an elite team defender should also give Cleveland more insurance moving forward for their frail defensive backcourt of Mitchell and Garland.

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