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De'Andre Hunter-Caris LeVert Trade Majorly Boosts Cavs' NBA Championship Odds

Breaking down the latest odds to win the NBA Finals for the Cleveland Cavaliers following their trade for De'Andre Hunter.

Peter Dewey

De'Andre Hunter is heading to Cleveland, boosting the team's title odds in the process.
De'Andre Hunter is heading to Cleveland, boosting the team's title odds in the process. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are making a big move at the trade deadline, acquiring Atlanta Hawks wing De'Andre Hunter for a package of Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks and multiple pick swaps, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The Cavs are the current No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, and this trade has boosted their odds to win the title this season. At DraftKings Sportsbook, Cleveland jumped from +900 to +800 to win the title -- a considerable jump given how short the team's odds already were.

Hunter, who is second in the odds to win the Sixth Man of the Year award this season at DraftKings Sportsbook, is averaging 19.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from 3.

He gives the Cavs a much-needed option on the wing with his 3-point shooting and his size. A perfect 3-and-D fit next to Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, Hunter will likely spend a lot of time matched up on the best wing player for opposing teams.

This is also a move that helps the Cavs going forward. Hunter is in just the second season of a four-year, $90 million extension that he signed with Atlanta. The former lottery pick has a chance to grow with the Cavs core of Garland, Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen -- all of whom are under contract for the foreseeable future.

While losing LeVert does hurt the Cavs' bench, they likely will move Max Strus to the bench to help boost their scoring presence. LeVert was in the final season of his deal.

Niang, a solid 3-point shooter at the power forward spot, was an expendable piece for the Cavs with Hunter incoming and Dean Wade, Strus and Isaac Okoro all capable of eating up minutes on the wing.

The Cavs now have the third-best odds to win the NBA Finals and the second-best odds of any Eastern Conference team, separating themselves from the New York Knicks (+900) who were tied with Cleveland entering Thursday.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.

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