Monday\u2019s 123-112 loss to the Jazz<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s a guy that we believe in, and we trust in every day. We see the work he puts in on his body, on his shot, on everything. I think [when] you\u2019re not necessarily making shots, it can definitely feel like a lot. But we have our arms around him. He\u2019s a guy that comes in every day with the same positive spirit. It\u2019s tough. You\u2019re not always going to have great stretches. But we\u2019re continuing to have his back. It\u2019s going to come around.\u201d<\/p>\nHasn\u2019t yet. <\/p>\n
This version of Hunter, averaging just 14.3 points on 42.7% from the field and 30.6% from 3-point range in 27.2 minutes, is a shadow of the guy Cleveland coveted for years and finally acquired in February. <\/p>\n
During Monday\u2019s inexplicable setback against the road-weary 25-loss Jazz who are more focused on ping-pong balls, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson benched Hunter for the entire fourth quarter. Atkinson had no choice. <\/p>\n
Hunter finished with a season-low-tying two points \u2014 the second time in less than three weeks \u2014 on 1 of 5 shooting. He didn\u2019t grab a rebound. Had as many turnovers (3) as assists. Played just 18 minutes. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not clicking,\u201d Atkinson admitted when asked specifically about Hunter\u2019s struggles. \u201cI think it\u2019s a prolonged batting slump. It happens in every sport. Trying to support him. Trying to get him some touches. Part of my job is to help him. He\u2019ll snap out of it. He\u2019s too good of a player to be playing like this. He\u2019ll turn it around. We need him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Atkinson has already tried a few things. <\/p>\n
Following a summertime conversation with Hunter, Atkinson put Hunter into the Opening Night starting lineup \u2014 a controversial move given Hunter\u2019s success and comfort as a sixth man. <\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t work. Not for Hunter. Not for the Cavs. <\/p>\n
On Dec. 17, Hunter slid back into his old bench spot. The thinking was two-fold: Create more scoring balance between starters and reserves and unlock Hunter. <\/p>\n
More touches. More shots. More freedom. More responsibility. Higher usage. <\/p>\n
That hasn\u2019t worked either. <\/p>\n
Like the Cavs as a whole, there have been intriguing flashes, moments where it looks like Hunter is primed to snap out of this prolonged funk, morphing back into the second unit linchpin that was enjoying a career breakthrough \u2014 until arriving in Cleveland. <\/p>\n
But those continue to get overshadowed by nights like Monday. Or Saturday \u2014 four points on 1 of 5 shooting. Or Dec. 27 in Houston \u2014 missing every shot attempt and mustering only two points. <\/p>\n
Statistically, the Cavs are better with Hunter off the floor \u2014 a differential of 5.4 points per 100 possessions. <\/p>\n
This rapid \u2014 and unexpected \u2014 decline has left the team puzzled. <\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Atkinson said. \u201cYou support because he\u2019s got a long body of work in this league. I don\u2019t know. We\u2019ve got to figure it out because obviously it\u2019s not just on the player. It\u2019s on the coaching staff. Gotta figure how we can get him in better positions to succeed. He\u2019s trying to get through this slump. He\u2019ll get through this. Needs to see a couple go through. I think that would help. Just got to support him and give him confidence until he breaks out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cleveland has invested numerous resources in an effort to fortify its wing spot. A four-year contract to lure Strus from Miami in 2023. A first-round pick on Jaylon Tyson. A multi-year extension for Sam Merrill this past summer. Trading for Lonzo Ball who is currently out of the every-night rotation. <\/p>\n
Hunter was supposed to be the most reliable option, bringing defense, physicality, floor spacing, shooting, versatility and three-level scoring while fitting seamlessly alongside the ballyhooed Core 4 \u2014 Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Garland and Mitchell.<\/p>\n
Instead, Atkinson has been pushed into uncomfortable choices, spending the first half of the season searching for viable lineups and combinations. <\/p>\n
Tyson. Merrill. Wade. Mitchell. Nae\u2019Qwan Tomlin. A revolving small forward door that keeps spinning. <\/p>\n
Ahead of training camp, president of basketball operations Koby Altman was asked how the organization planned to address the position in Strus\u2019 extended absence. <\/p>\n
Altman shrugged it off. Didn\u2019t even see it as a problem. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really an underrated story in terms of how much De\u2019Andre Hunter is going to put a stamp on this season,\u201d Altman said. \u201cWe\u2019re super excited about him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDe\u2019Andre Hunter, you could argue, has been our best player in the offseason,\u201d Atkinson added. \u201cHe\u2019s had an incredible offseason. That was part of that offseason goal for me was to get to know De\u2019Andre better and spend some time with him, a lot of time to define his role more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sources tell cleveland.com that team decision-makers have rebuffed trade offers to this point, including at least one for Hunter. The focus has been internal improvement. There\u2019s still belief in this group. A desire to see what it looks like at full strength \u2014 or close to it. <\/p>\n
But it\u2019s now the halfway point of the season and the high-priced Cavaliers, the league\u2019s only second apron outfit, continue to underachieve. Monday\u2019s baffling loss dropped them back out of playoff position in the weaker Eastern Conference. <\/p>\n
With Hunter out of sorts, Strus still sidelined and Wade battling a problematic knee that recently required a precautionary MRI (it came back clean), the Cavs are suddenly back where they were around this time last year \u2014 eyes starting to wander toward the trade deadline, wondering if there\u2019s a better option.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"CLEVELAND, Ohio \u2014 A little less than an hour before tipoff, Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang strolled onto…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":404448,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[355,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-404447","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-nba","9":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=404447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/404447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/404448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=404447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=404447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=404447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}