The Cleveland Cavaliers had the best record in the NBA for most of the season.
However, even when they were at their best, one Eastern Conference foe gave them a lot of trouble.
The Atlanta Hawks gave them their first consecutive losses of the season, and they exposed their flaws against long and athletic wings.
That’s why GM Koby Altman chose to stop treading water and, instead, trade for a player who could solve those issues.
With that in mind, Ethan Sands of Cleveland.com believes a potential first-round matchup with the Hawks could have a ‘familiar flavor’ for both teams:
“If Atlanta takes care of business on Friday and secures the No. 8 seed, the Cavsā first-round opponent would come with a bit of a familiar flavor,” Sands wrote. “The Hawks would bring a mini reunion, featuring Caris LeVert and Georges Niang ā two key locker room voices the Cavs dealt to Atlanta at the trade deadline in a move that brought DeāAndre Hunter to Cleveland.”
Trading for De’Andre Hunter was a master move by the Cavaliers.
Not only did they land a player who could’ve been a lethal weapon against them in the playoffs, but they also added someone to guard Jaylen Brown or Jayson Tatum and still drop shots from all three levels.
If that wasn’t enough, they also pulled off that trade without having to give up any of their core players, and they actually got under the salary cap.
Trading for Hunter could be a season-defining move.
He’s not a superstar by any means, but he was just the kind of player they needed the most at the time they needed him the most.
Caris LeVert and Georges Niang will certainly be extra motivated to give their former team a glimpse of what they had and lost, but even if the Hawks secure the No. 8 seed, it’s hard to believe they will get past the top-seeded Cavs.
NEXT: Analyst Says 1 Cavs Player Makes Team A āDifferent Animalā
