The Atlanta Hawks have had an interesting summer where they’ve drafted a project No. 1 overall pick like Zaccharie Risacher while trading away former All-Star Dejounte Murray after two unimpressive seasons alongside Trae Young. The Hawks could easily pivot into a rebuild or make moves to win, with the franchise stuck somewhere in the middle right now. With Trae refuting trade speculation, it seems the franchise remains motivated to build a winner around Trae.
If the Hawks do want to win with Trae, they have to make a move to keep themselves competitive in the West after seeing teams like the Magic, Pacers, and Cavaliers jump them in competitiveness over the last few seasons. A star addition like Jerami Grant on the wing might be the solution, creating a more compatible fit with Young and boosting their competitive chances. They would need a third team to make the trade make sense, with the Cavaliers likely willing to join and make a wing upgrade of their own.
Trade Details
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Jerami Grant, Sam Merrill
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: De’Andre Hunter, Kris Murray
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Caris LeVert, Kobe Bufkin, Georges Niang, 2025 First-Round Pick (SAC), 2026 Second-Round Pick (CLE), 2028 Second-Round Pick (CLE)
This deal allows both the Hawks and Cavs to make upgrades to their roster, though the Hawks receive the best player in the deal by a margin. Hunter is a solid addition to the Cavs wing given their instability at that position the last two seasons. The Blazers walk away with a healthy return themselves, receiving a young prospect like Bufkin along with draft assets.
The Hawks Push Toward Contention
The Atlanta Hawks have been left behind in the Eastern Conference by a whole host of teams. The last time they advanced past the first round, even teams like the Knicks weren’t expected to be as competitive as them. In the years since the Knicks have transformed themselves into the kind of contenders people expected Atlanta to become, while the Pacers, Magic, and Cavaliers have jumped the Hawks in competitiveness.
Jerami Grant averaged 21.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists last season, proving to be one of the best-producing three-and-D forwards in the NBA. While he won’t stick to playing a hustle role and would want to be featured in the offense, he’s shown he can carry that load with his numbers having a chance to be meaningful alongside a star like Trae Young. Very few small forwards would be a better fit next to Trae, so the Hawks would take a big step forward.
This will allow Zaccharie Risacher the time he needs to develop as a genuine starting forward on a contending team. Grant will come with three years left on his contract, scheduled to expire when he’s 33 years old. Risascher will be a seasoned in-house replacement by then, giving him the time to settle into the team before taking over as their primary wing option.
The Cavaliers Get Their Wing Solution
The Cavaliers have been dealing with a gaping hole at the small forward spot since they acquired Donovan Mitchell two years ago. While the team had initially hoped Isaac Okoro would fill that role, today he sits in restricted free agency in the first week of September. Even if he returns, it’s clear he isn’t valued as highly as he was just a few seasons ago. Instead of running either Okoro for defense or Max Strus for offense, this deal lands the Cavs a certified starting two-way forward.
Hunter averaged 15.6 points and 3.9 rebounds last season. He fits seamlessly into the Cavaliers’ defensive identity, shoring up the perimeter even more for the talented big-man duo of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Offensive responsibilities will continue to fall on their undersized backcourt of Darius Garland and Mitchell, meaning Hunter needs to find a way to excel in the limited offensive spots he ends up getting.
The Cavaliers’ defense would become an even bigger strength for the franchise, with Mitchell handling POA responsibilities on guards while Hunter being able to do the same for swingman and forward, with Mobley the perfect option for any self-creating big forwards. The price for this deal is ridiculous for Cleveland, who can end up as big winners for facilitating the deal by taking Hunter’s contract on.
The Trail Blazers Continue To Rebuild
The Trail Blazers look set to be in the race for the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery as the only team in the West this season with a clear motive to tank. They want to season their young core of Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and more, which means keeping Grant to take the spotlight away from them might be counter-productive. Grant was winning the Blazers games single-handedly last season, so this is necessary for them to tank properly.
Caris LeVert averaged 14.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists last season, becoming a major candidate to be moved instantly by the Blazers or be retained as a mentor for guards like Sharpe and Scoot. Kobe Bufkin is another young guard they can add to their core, promising to be a standout defender at the position and is coming off his rookie season. Georges Niang makes up the numbers in this deal, averaging xxx last season with the Cavs.
Letting Grant go opens up minutes for new forward acquisition Deni Avdija along with the host of young talents on the Blazers roster. There’s no need for the 30+ Grant to hold the rest of them back by interrupting their developmental timeline, so the Blazers would be overjoyed to get this price in return for an aging Grant who’s on a less-than-ideal contract.
This Deal Helps All Teams Involved
The Hawks land a major wing upgrade that would be complementary to almost every player on the roster. Jalen Johnson and Grant would be a terrifying forward combo, especially with either Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu at center. If the Hawks start Dyson Daniels over Bogdan Bogdanovic, they’d have four genuinely solid defenders around Trae, which should allow them to cover his mistakes and lead the Hawks back to success.
The Cavaliers are already knocking on the doors of success and have a young core that’s progressing together. This deal allows them to land a major wing upgrade for essentially nothing, as Hunter’s contract has had concerns raised around the NBA. Nonetheless, the result on the court should be phenomenal given how versatile Hunter can be as a multi-positional 3-and-D player.
The Blazers reinforce their commitment to tanking with this move, letting the best player on their roster leave. While Anfernee Simons might follow soon, Grant’s departure is more pressing given his age, and production could be far more useful to a winning team than it is to Portland.
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