INDEPENDENCE — Acclimating to a new team after a sudden trade right in the middle of a season isn’t always the easiest endeavor. That’s why De’Andre Hunter, the newest Cavalier, is thankful for Ty Jerome.
The Cavs acquired Hunter from the Hawks in a trade that sent Georges Niang, Caris LeVert and draft picks to Atlanta. President of basketball operations Koby Altman said the addition of Hunter, and how he can fit into the Cavaliers lineup, was worth risking the disruption of team chemistry that had evolved in the locker room.
After the trade, the first phone call Hunter received was from Hawks general manager Landry Fields. The second was from Jerome.
“I felt [Jerome] kind of had the inside scoop, too,” Hunter said Sunday with a smile as he met with local reporters at the Cavs’ practice facility in Independence.
Hunter and Jerome were teammates at the University of Virginia. They helped UV win a national title in 2019 and have remained close friends, though their NBA journeys took them in different directions. Now, the pair is reunited as Cleveland hopes the deal is enough to help punch its ticket to the NBA Finals.
“He was just like, ‘Welcome,'” Hunter said of the conversation with Jerome. “We’ve been talking about playing together for years, so for it to actually come together and actually happen, and especially at a place like this, it’s amazing. So definitely excited.”
Donovan Mitchell has repeatedly spoken about the importance of chemistry, continuity and time on the floor together while pointing out how many recent NBA championship teams needed several years together before it all clicked. The Cavs roster as a whole has maintained a rare level of continuity.
For Hunter, it’s now about fast-tracking that process as much as possible before the playoffs.
“I think if you have friendships and relationships off the court, it becomes that much easier to play on the court,” Hunter said. “So having those relationships, being able to talk about not only basketball but about life to your teammates, from my experience, that helps a lot.
“I have a friend in Ty, so he’s going to get me acclimated.”
In a major way, Hunter is just relieved he won’t have to battle Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen anymore. Going up against those two standouts wasn’t his easiest assignment, though Hunter in his last three games against the Cavs averaged 24.7 points on 53.7% shooting from the floor.
“I kind of hated going against Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, so having them behind me on defense would definitely be a lot better than going against them,” Hunter said with a laugh. “So I’m excited for that.”
De’Andre Hunter Cavs debut expected to be Monday vs Timberwolves
Hunter is only just now able to go through the Cavaliers’ offensive and defensive playbooks. He went through some film sessions and practice Sunday to try to get him up to speed.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson and the coaching staff have an analytical breakdown of what he does best, what specific motions he’s used to, and how he can be quickly implemented in their offensive and defensive sets.
The expectation is that Hunter will make his Cavs debut Monday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, although it isn’t yet clear if he’ll start or come off the bench.
But as Atkinson prepares to mix the 6-foot-8, 221-pound Hunter into the rotation, what stood out was the added size the Cavs can now apply to the small forward spot when he’s on the floor, similar to what they can do at times with Dean Wade, but perhaps now on a larger scale minutes-wise.
“It’s positional size,” Atkinson said Sunday. “I know that’s a catchphrase but, really, it’s defensively his ability to guard different guys 1-through-5, and [Victor] Wembanyama the other night. I’m not saying the offense [part of it] is going to be easy, it’s going to take some time, but I think first order of business is to get him to help us defensively. That’s where we need it most right now.”
