Report: There’s a pathway for the Cavs to check 2 huge boxes on deadline day

With the trade deadline mere hours away at this juncture, the Cleveland Cavaliers are seemingly still working the phones to see if they can make something happen.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, there’s a pathway for the Cavs to check two major boxes on deadline day.

One is to acquire Atlanta Hawks small forward De’Andre Hunter via trade. Hunter has started only four games so far this season, yet he’s scoring 19.0 points per contest on 39.3 percent shooting from 3-point range across 37 total appearances.

The other is to get below the luxury tax.

NBA insider Marc Stein provided an update.

There’s a really solid chance that Hunter would instantly be inserted into the Cavaliers’ starting lineup if Cleveland were to acquire him. He’d provide the team with quite a boost at the small forward position, perhaps making him the final starting piece alongside Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

Outside of what he’d hopefully give the Cavs on the court, Hunter seemingly has a reasonable contract for a player of his caliber. He is under contract through the 2026-27 campaign and won’t earn more than about $24.9 million in any one season before his contract expires. He’s making about $21.7 million this season.

While it seems as if Hunter would fit like a glove on the Cavaliers and Cleveland would benefit from getting below the luxury tax, there’s still no guarantee that the team will make any moves at all on Thursday. The Cavaliers are sitting very pretty in the standings with a record of 41-10, which is tops in the Eastern Conference.

Making a trade is always risky, especially it involves a team that has such a strong sense of chemistry like the Cavs. With so many different factors to take into consideration, it’s anyone’s guess how the trade deadline will play out for Cleveland.