Breaking down Cavs' depth concerns after De'Andre Hunter trade

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Throughout the 2024-25 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers have embraced a “strength in numbers” approach, a strategy shaped mainly by head coach Kenny Atkinson. He firmly believes that team depth is crucial, aiming to keep his starters’ minutes around 30 per game. To achieve this, the Cavs have consistently utilized 10 to 11 players each night, injuries aside.

However, since acquiring De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks, the team’s depth has taken a hit. To bring Hunter on board, Cleveland had to part ways with Caris LeVert and Georges Niang—two vital players in Atkinson’s rotation. With injuries compounded by the loss of these key contributors, the Cavs find themselves in a challenging position, struggling to uphold one of their foundational strategies.

The Cavs suffered big-time losses trading Caris LeVert and Georges Niang

Losing Caris LeVert is undeniably the most significant blow to the Cavs this season. As the team’s Sixth Man during the Donovan Mitchell era, he has embraced his role and thrived in it, bringing energy and versatility to the court.

LeVert has transformed into an essential off-ball player, seamlessly moving without the ball. He also established himself as a reliable wing defender capable of matching up against some of the league’s most formidable scorers. His ability to precisely knock down three-pointers has also made him a constant threat on the perimeter, stretching defenses and creating space for his teammates.

However, shades of his past as an on-ball creator occasionally clouded LeVert’s effectiveness in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Ty Jerome has emerged as a surprising standout from the bench this season. Jerome’s play added further depth to the roster and complicated the dynamics even more. So, when factoring that all in and given that LeVert is on an expiring contract, it became increasingly evident that a trade was necessary and timely.

On the other hand, the Cavs acquired Georges Niang, hoping that his three-point shooting prowess could elevate the team's offensive game. He has succeeded mainly in spacing the floor and nurturing positive team chemistry. However, Niang’s stint with the Cavs has not been without difficulties. Too often, he has been targeted by opposing offenses, with rival teams capitalizing on mismatches to score easy buckets against him.

Cleveland has to adjust their depth chart properly

Despite these hurdles that came with either player, it’s a heavy loss for Cleveland. It’s hard to part ways with Niang’s contributions of 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in just 20.6 minutes per game. This loss stings even more when paired with the fact that Niang has been hitting an impressive 40% from beyond the arc. It also stings that LeVert had been rock-solid, averaging 10.2 points on 45.3% shooting in only 23.8 minutes per game.

The real heartache lies in the undeniable chemistry LeVert and Niang developed on the court—a synergy that fostered fluid plays and sparked the team’s offensive rhythm—a connection that will be challenging to recreate moving forward.

Unfortunately, there’s no time for the weary in today’s hyper-competitive NBA. The Cavs must pick up the pieces and figure out their rotation now, even when they’re down two players. With that in mind, here’s what Cleveland’s depth chart will probably look like while assuming everyone is healthy:

PG: Darius Garland | Ty Jerome | Craig Porter Jr.

SG: Donovan Mitchell | Sam Merrill | Isaac Okoro

SF: De’Andre Hunter | Max Strus | Jaylon Tyson

PF: Evan Mobley | Dean Wade

C: Jarrett Allen | Tristan Thompson

While the Cavs have the luxury of their roster being able to cover multiple positions, it’s clear that they could use additional support at either big-man position. It also wouldn’t hurt for Cleveland to target additional shooting support. Thankfully, with this trade getting them underneath the luxury tax threshold, the Cavs can go thrift shopping to round out their roster.

What new faces could join the Cavs during their playoff push?

If they’re all bought out by their current or new teams, Daniel Theis, Kelly Olynyk, and Ben Simmons could be options to address their big-man concerns. Meanwhile, Bojan Bogdanovic, Seth Curry, Josh Richardson, and Larry Nance Jr. could all be players on the team’s radar to add some shooting threats.

While Cleveland cannot sign them all, they could add two new faces to round out their rotation with the playoffs on the horizon. It’s a tough problem to solve, but the Cavs have options.

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