The Atlanta Hawks made a trade that focused on clearing money in the future when they sent De’Andre Hunter to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Caris LeVert and Georges Niang at the 2025 trade deadline.
Hunter and the Hawks have truly gone in different directions since the trade. Hunter’s Cavs are 11-0 since the deal and 10-0 with him in the rotation, including 3-0 in his starts.
Hunter recently offered a dose of cold truth for the Hawks.
“It’s definitely a different feeling coming from where I was,” Hunter told reporters following the Cavalier’s 112-107 win at home over the Miami Heat on March 5. “I’m just grateful to be here for sure.”
THAT'S TOUGH, DRE! 🔥 #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/oyGYugVFJS
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) March 6, 2025
Hunter had 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in the contest.
He was 0-4 from beyond the arc, which has been a strength of his. However, Hunter also noted how the Cavs withstood an 11-3 run from the Heat over the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.
They also had three possessions in four opportunities that resulted in turnovers, though none were live-ball.
“There are going to be mistakes during the game. We can’t get flustered, especially in a game like that, when the other team’s hot and they’re scoring,” Hunter said. “We can’t get flustered whenever we do turn the ball over or things don’t go our way. And we just gotta stay mentally tough and fight through those things, and that's what we did.”
No lead is safe in the NBA.
Still, the Hawks have a habit of compounding their issues when momentum is slipping which existed during Hunter’s tenure and has continued since his trade.
Hawks post-trade deadline results not surprising
The Hawks are 5-6 since the trade. But that includes a three-game winning streak in the immediate aftermath of the deal. They have gone 2-6 since then and are 1-3 in their last four entering play on March 6.
The Hawks were 71-76 without Hunter in his career and 138-162 with him.
Hunter experienced more winning than losing with the Hawks, including an 18-19 record this season.
Conversely, the Cavaliers have not missed a beat despite trading away two players who ranked seventh (LeVert) and ninth (Niang) in minutes per game for them. Those same two players are second (LeVert) and sixth (Niang) in MPG on the Hawks since the deadline.
Hunter ranks fourth in minutes among Hawks players this season.
The Hawks traded a legitimate Sixth Man of the Year candidate for a pair of players that were at or near the end of their former team’s bench.
The results they have had since the deal are still disappointing. However, they are less surprising given the context of the situation and after hearing Hunter speak about his experience with the Hawks.