National Analyst Names Three Potential Landing Spots For De'Andre Hunter, Including the Lakers

Could the Hawks trade Hunter before the season?

Apr 12, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (12) reacts after making a three point shot in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA offseason is in its most quiet period and it seems that the rosters around the league have been set for nearly every team. With the Utah Jazz signing Lauri Markkanen to an extension, he is off the board as a trade candidate and the top two names on the trade market are Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram and Bulls guard Zach LaVine, but it does not appear there is much traction for a deal for either player right now. That does leave the door open for some smaller trades to happen and those deals could come from the Hawks.

Atlanta has a full roster right now, but guys like Clint Capela, De'Andre Hunter, and Larry Nance have all been in trade rumors this offseason and could be moved in a deal that makes sense. Capela is going into the last year of his deal, as is Nance, and I think Atlanta would jump at getting off of Hunter's contract if a deal made sense.

Who could be some teams that would be interested in Hunter? Bleacher Report analyst Tyler Conway listed three teams who might be interested in the Hawks forward.

Los Angeles Lakers

"The Lakers have been desperate to make a splash all summer after missing out on Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan and essentially every potential target on the open market. Hunter isn't going to suddenly change their championship trajectory, but he's a near-perfect fit on the perimeter.

While Trae Young is a stellar passer and makes Hunter's life easier, he's never played with a player with LeBron James' gravity. The veteran's three-point percentage could kick up all the way into the 40 percent mark if he found himself in Los Angeles."

Hunter began a four-year, $90 million contract last season, which isn't much above the market for a player with his skill sets. Given the financial constraints of the new collective bargaining agreement, we're going to see teams becoming increasingly careful about which players receive big long-term commitments.

The Lakers went swinging for big fish, but Hunter could be a medium one out of the same pond."

Cleveland Cavaliers

"The Cavaliers have been determined to keep their roster intact this offseason, signing Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen to long-term contract extensions and making no other major changes.

The front office's stance is seemingly that the problem lied with coach JB Bickerstaff and injuries. Cleveland fired Bickerstaff and hired Kenny Atkinson as his replacement, which was the most noteworthy move for a team that flamed out in Round 1."

Adding Hunter would not represent a seismic change but a potentially necessary one. Isaac Okoro is an improved shooter, but defenses still don't respect him or his scoring prowess enough on the perimeter. Hunter could essentially slide into Okoro's role and add an upgrade on the offensive end, even if Okoro is a better perimeter defender.

When you're talking adding on the margins, these types of moves don't make many headlines but they do make a difference in the postseason.

San Antonio Spurs

"The Spurs need competent basketball players. It's as simple as that. That's why Chris Paul is now plying his trade in San Antonio.

The Spurs are ready to start building an actual basketball team around Victor Wembanyama, and Hunter is the exact type of player who has always thrived under coach Gregg Popovich. San Antonio also has money to spend and a couple assets it could throw Atlanta's way to make the trade seem palatable.

Similar potential options include the Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets, all of whom could kick the tires on Hunter in the coming weeks. We just like the idea of Wemby having better teammates as he begins his ascent."

Let's talk about these options.

The Lakers have some interesting depth pieces (such as Gabe Vincent) that could help the Hawks, but one wrinkle in a trade with the Lakers is the fact Atlanta owns their unprotected pick in 2025. While Hunter does not vault the Lakers into contention, do the Hawks want to make them better? While Vincent would be a nice backup point guard, do the Hawks need him? Maybe Atlanta just wants to get off of Hunter's contract, which is a possibility.

Cleveland is the most intriguing option to me, but what would Cleveland give Atlanta? The deal would likely involve either Max Strus or Caris LeVert, with LeVert being the guy I think would most likely be dealt. He is on an expiring contract and could be a scorer off the bench for Atlanta, but I don't think he fills a big need and would help Atlanta all that much. Strus still has three years left on his deal and I don't think he helps Atlanta long term. Atlanta would save money in a LeVert deal and get off of Hunter's contract long term.

The Spurs are an interesting team because while Hunter would help, I don't know which player San Antonio is willing to trade on their roster helps the Hawks. Is Keldon Johnson a big upgrade from Hunter? Maybe the Hawks trade for a package of Tre Jones and Jeremy Sochan? That does not seem like it helps the Hawks immediately and is just a move to dump Hunter's salary.

If I were to make a deal with any of these three teams, it would be Cleveland. I think LeVert is overrated and would not be a huge boost to the Hawks, but he is on an expiring deal and it frees up future money for Atlanta. As we get closer to the season though, it looks like Hunter might be on the roster for the Hawks.