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CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs appear to be moving closer to a significant trade, with De’Andre Hunter potentially headed to the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal that would address both basketball fit and financial flexibility for the wine and gold.
On the latest Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.com beat reporter Chris Fedor dropped a bombshell regarding discussions between the two teams: “My sources tell me that the Cavs and the Lakers have discussed a general framework surrounding De’Andre Hunter of Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht and then bringing in a third team.”
This potential trade represents much more than a simple player swap. For Cleveland, it addresses multiple needs simultaneously – most importantly, providing crucial financial breathing room for a team currently squeezed by the NBA’s punitive second apron tax penalties.
“For the Cavs, Rui Hachimura is an expiring contract,” Fedor explained. “So not only would you theoretically get a helpful player who by the way, is shooting 43% from three point range and he’s averaging 12 points per game and he can guard multiple positions, he can play the three, the four, or the five, he’s on an expiring contract. And that clears some of your salary cap complications moving forward.”
The complexities of this potential deal highlight the challenges both teams face. The Lakers operate just below the first apron, with only about $977,000 in wiggle room, while Cleveland sits as the NBA’s only team in the second apron, severely limiting their trade flexibility. These restrictions necessitate bringing in a third team to facilitate the transaction.
“There are third teams that could be helpful,” Fedor noted. “Brooklyn has the lowest salary number of any team in the NBA. They might be a destination that is willing to take some salary. The Utah Jazz, they are 29th in salary in the NBA. They might be a destination that’s willing to take some salary back.”
The trade would serve distinct purposes for each franchise. For Los Angeles, Hunter represents a potential LeBron James replacement should the superstar retire or depart in free agency. Despite Hunter’s struggles in Cleveland, the Lakers believe he could thrive in their system alongside different personnel.
Cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins sees similarities between the two forwards at the center of the deal: “I kind of feel like Rui Hachimura and De’Andre Hunter are a little Spider man memey. Both are players that teams want to be more than they are.
“But at the end of the day, again, cap flexibility, you’re getting under the apron or having to get an expiring contract will eventually help to get you under the apron. That’s pretty good business. That’s pretty good business for the Cavs, even if it looks like a net neutral.”
With the February 5th trade deadline approaching, the Cavaliers face mounting pressure to address their financial situation while still maintaining championship aspirations. Hunter’s inconsistent performance has made him expendable despite the team trading for him just last year.
Even ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has weighed in, stating on ESPN Cleveland, “I think there’s a decent chance the Cavs do something … I think they’ve considered making a home run swing.”
For Cleveland, this potential deal represents a practical approach to team building. While not necessarily improving the roster dramatically in the short term, the financial flexibility gained could prove invaluable for future moves.
As Watkins noted, it allows Cleveland to “unmarry” itself from a core that may not justify the steep tax penalties the team currently faces.
Cavs fans eager for more insider information on potential trades and team developments should tune in to the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, where the team’s beat reporters and columnists provide unmatched access to what’s happening behind the scenes with one of the Eastern Conference’s most intriguing contenders.
Here’s the podcast for this week: