Cavaliers Must Help De’Andre Hunter Get Over Rough Stretch

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a win-now move last trade deadline by acquiring forward De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks. The move almost certainly solidified the Wine and Gold as a second-apron team heading into the 2025-26 season, but Hunter’s skillset and apparent fit with the 

It took a while for the Cavs to get Hunter going and acclimate when he came over from Atlanta, and even after a full offseason in Cleveland, he’s still trying to find his rhythm with the team.

Hunter may be averaging 15.1 points per game this season, but they haven’t come with the best efficiency. He’s only connecting on 42.5 percent of his shots from the floor and 30.3 percent of his shots from behind the arc. 

Not to mention, with all of Cleveland’s injuries this season, you would think all of those numbers would be high, given that Hunter should have a higher usage rate in Cleveland’s offense. 

December has been especially tough for Hunter. In eight games this month, the forward is only averaging 10.2 points per game while shooting 33 percent from the floor and 22 percent from three.

Kenny Atkinson has even noticed the forward’s struggles are taking the blame for Hunter’s level of play right now. Cleveland’s head coach even tried moving him into a reserve role to give him a different look in the lineup. 

“I always look at it, if a guy's struggling, as good a player is that, that's, I kind of put a lot on me. I have to figure out a better way to help him, cause he's too good of a player to be at this level. He's probably at a C-level. 
He should be in an A-level,” explained Atkinson after Cleveland’s loss to the Bulls. 

“I kind of, I put most of that on my shoulders. I think trying to get him in that second unit, um, was, uh, you know, it's only been two games, so let's see how that works out, but, uh, we're gonna keep trying different things to, uh, um, to help him. 
But, um, like I said, I think I put a lot of that on myself."

Cavaliers Must Help De’Andre Hunter Get Over Rough StretchWhether it’s in the starting lineup alongside the Core Four, once they’re all healthy, or off the bench with Lonzo Ball and company,

Cleveland must figure out a way to help Hunter get over this rough stretch. The team and coaching staff know it; it’s just about executing a plan to get there.