The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to play better than people expected of them heading into the year.
At 41-10, the Cavaliers have the best record in the Eastern Conference and only trail the Oklahoma City Thunder by one game for the best record in the league.
The Cavaliers have gotten to this place in a multitude of ways, both with their star power and a deep bench, which helps give their starters fresh legs, knowing they are getting a break without sacrificing a lot on the scoreboard.
While having a deep bench has its place, there’s nothing wrong with adding another star to the mix, which is what the Cavaliers did with their recent trade for De’Andre Hunter.
They were a good team already, but in a comment shared by “More For You Cleveland” on X, Charles Barkley believes this move was an important catalyst for the Cavaliers.
“If I had to pick right now, I have the Cavaliers winning the East. I think today (trading for De’Andre Hunter) was the icing on the cake,” Barkley said.
“If I had to pick right now, I have the Cavaliers winning the East. I think today (trading for De’Andre Hunter) was the icing on the cake.”
– Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/s9SXvi6iYl
— MoreForYouCleveland (@MoreForYou_CLE) February 7, 2025
As Barkley indicated, Hunter might help take this team to the next level and vault themselves into the NBA Finals at the end of the season.
Fans haven’t seen Hunter suit up for the Cavaliers yet, so his chemistry with the team isn’t guaranteed, but if he works out as well as Barkley hopes, things are looking up for the Cavaliers.
It will be interesting to see where he fits in with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, but their standing lineup just got that much more interesting, a welcomed sight for fans.
NEXT: Fans React To Cavs' Big Trade With Hawks
