CLEVELAND, Ohio — The statistics tell one story about De’Andre Hunter’s struggles with the Cavs, but behind the numbers lies a more complex human drama that’s unfolding within the team’s locker room.
On the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast, cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor dropped a revelation about Hunter’s state of mind that adds a new dimension to his disappointing season.
“I will say that there is a feeling around the NBA that De’Andre Hunter is unhappy in Cleveland,” Fedor disclosed during the podcast conversation. “And part of why he is unhappy is because he was moved out of the starting lineup.”
After being heavily promoted by head coach Kenny Atkinson during the preseason as the team’s “offseason MVP,” Hunter was moved to the bench after just six weeks of regular season action. According to Fedor, this decision directly contradicted conversations that took place during the offseason.
“Kenny made it a point to go out to Los Angeles and see De’Andre and talk to De’Andre and spend time with De’Andre,” Fedor explained. “And one of the things that Kenny asked De’Andre was, ‘Hey, do you prefer to start or come off the bench?’ And De’Andre told him then that his preference was to start. And I think there’s some wonder from De’Andre and people close to De’Andre about like, why did that change after just six weeks of the regular season?”
The demotion appears to have been a significant blow to Hunter’s confidence and enthusiasm – a stark contrast to the joyful player who developed a signature 3-point celebration during the Cavaliers’ impressive run last season.
But the lineup change may only be one piece of a larger puzzle.
Cleveland.com columnist Jimmy Watkins offered a fascinating perspective on another factor that might be contributing to Hunter’s struggles: the departure of his former college teammate and close friend, Ty Jerome.
“I think the Cavs underestimated locker room dynamics on two fronts,” Watkins said. “I also think over the summer they may have miscalculated how big of an impact Ty Jerome’s exit might have had on De’Andre Hunter here ... Perhaps in part because he was hanging out with his best friend all the time and in many cases playing next to his best friend all the time.”
The podcast revealed just how deep this friendship ran – Hunter and Jerome were even roommates during Hunter’s early days with Cleveland following last season’s trade.
As podcast host Ethan Sands noted, “Not only were they hanging out with each other, but they were back like they were at Virginia winning the championship.”
The situation highlights a critical aspect of NBA team-building that often gets overlooked in favor of statistical analysis: the chemistry and interpersonal dynamics that can make or break a player’s comfort and productivity.
In trading for Hunter, the Cavaliers may have underestimated how the removal of established locker room leaders like George Niang and Caris LeVert would affect team culture.
“Locker room dynamics are delicate. Leadership is important. It’s almost invaluable,” Fedor emphasized. “And the Cavs are feeling those absences and they’re feeling those absences even more because the, the trade for De’Andre was always supposed to be okay. What they lost in that trade was always going to be concealed by what they gained.”
The combination of being separated from a close friend, losing his starting position, and struggling with his shot has created a perfect storm that threatens to derail what was supposed to be a career-defining opportunity for Hunter in Cleveland.
For the complete inside story on De’Andre Hunter’s discontent and the locker room dynamics affecting the Cavaliers’ season, don’t miss the full episode of the Wine and Gold Talk podcast – your source for unfiltered Cavs analysis from those closest to the team.
Here’s the podcast for this week: