Late one evening, a three-way player exchange involving National Basketball Association franchises was finalized.
De’Andre Hunter departed Cleveland for Sacramento, while Dennis Schröder and Keon Ellis joined Cleveland. Facilitating a component of this transaction, Dario Šarić was transferred to the Bulls, accompanied by a pair of second-round draft picks.
This player exchange definitively had no significant impact on the league’s competitive landscape. Regardless, here’s an assessment of the trade’s outcomes:
Cleveland Cavaliers: B-
Schröder provides adequate, though not outstanding, performance. The significant acquisition in this deal is Ellis, an imposing defender expected to provide instant assistance to Cleveland’s bench unit.
The Cavaliers parted ways with Hunter, a 6-foot-8 perimeter player capable of filling both forward positions, which introduces certain anxieties for their postseason prospects, given their diminished stature and scoring ability on the wing.
Considering Lonzo Ball’s significant difficulties this season, this transaction offers the Cavs a partial resolution to their guard deficiencies. However, due to the ambiguity surrounding Ellis’ upcoming contract and the departure of Hunter, my enthusiasm for this move remains subdued, pending a long-term commitment to Ellis.
Sacramento Kings: C
Hunter has typically received less recognition than he deserves over his professional tenure, thus while his arrival is likely an improvement for the Kings, it prompts contemplation about the true rationale behind this maneuver.
Should the Kings have perceived a necessity to gain assets for Ellis prior to his potential departure, that reasoning holds some validity. Nevertheless, allocating future financial resources to Hunter, particularly when the organization is reportedly considering a rebuild, appears peculiar and somewhat arbitrary.
Consequently, this evaluation pertains not to Hunter’s individual capabilities, but rather to the Kings’ strategic direction.
I must, however, introduce a qualification: If the Kings proceed to deal DeMar DeRozan before the February 5th transaction cutoff, it would at minimum create an opening for Hunter to play alongside Keegan Murray, which presents a logical synergy—a versatile pair of forwards whose combined salaries are manageable.
Therefore, the situation in Sacramento isn’t — strictly — negative. Yet, it is imperative for the Kings to unveil their full strategy, as their current situation continues to appear entirely disorganized.
Chicago Bulls: A+
Hold on, what? Did the Bulls actually execute a favorable trade? Pause, I need to confirm if pigs are flying or if the impossible has occurred.
The club absorbed Šarić’s agreement, likely utilizing a segment of a Zach LaVine Traded Player Exception to incorporate him, and in exchange for assisting this transaction, they obtained two second-round draft picks.
What was the expense for the Bulls?
Absolutely nothing substantial. Šarić’s agreement is concluding, and the Bulls merely needed to release Jevon Carter, whose own deal was also nearing its end, to finalize this arrangement.
Considering their ample space below the luxury tax threshold to execute this, they effectively spent $5.4 million (Šarić’s wages) to secure two second-rounders, a sum quite acceptable within the contemporary NBA financial landscape, and they accomplished this without surrendering any monetary assets. A commendable performance by the Bulls, an organization not typically known for such astute dealings.
