CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cavs are making a deal ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, sending De’Andre Hunter to the Kings, sources confirmed to cleveland.com.
The Cavs will get Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis in return. It’s part of a three-team deal that also includes the Bulls getting Dario Saric from the Kings and two future second-round picks (one from the Cavs and one from Sacramento).
Hunter was acquired by the Cavs on Feb. 6, 2025. He was supposed to be the missing piece for Cleveland’s lingering small forward issue. But that didn’t come to fruition. Less than a year later, he’s being traded again.
This move could help get the Cavs under the second apron next season. Ellis is on an expiring $2.3 million contract, and the Cavs were already set to make multiple contractual decisions with players already on their roster.
But Cleveland might not be done yet.
The 2-for-1 deal has now filled all 15 of Cleveland’s roster spots. If the Cavs were to want to convert Nae’Qwan Tomlin from his two-way contract, which is nearing the 50-game active limit, the team would have to move off another piece, with Lonzo Ball being the most likely candidate, as the Cavs could look to dump his $10 million contract. He has a club option at the end of this season.
A buyout for players like Larry Nance Jr. and Thomas Bryant would also open a spot for Tomlin.
The Cavs get back extra ball handling depth as Darius Garland continues to work his way back onto the court after a right great toe sprain and offseason surgery on his left great toe that still had him operating around 70% before the most recent injury. Max Strus, who had offseason foot surgery on a Jones fracture, has yet to play this season, while Craig Porter Jr. is currently dealing with knee soreness.
The additions of Ellis and Schroder bring reliable options as the Cavs navigate a grueling road stretch ahead of the All-Star break.
Schroder, a veteran journeyman in the NBA, has played in 40 games this season. This season, he’s averaging 12.8 points, 5.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 40.8% from the field and 34.3% from deep in 26.4 minutes per game. He was also named the 2025 EuroBasket MVP. Schroder is owed $14.1 million, $14.8 million and $15.5 million on the final three years of his deal — that he signed last summer to join the Kings — with the final year partially guaranteed.
Ellis is in his fourth season in the league and is averaging 5.6 points, 0.6 assists and 1.3 rebounds on 39.7 % from the field and 36.8% from beyond the arc in 17.6 minutes per game. He is one of two players in the NBA averaging 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per 36 minutes this season, joining Detroit’s Ausar Thompson.