De’Andre Hunter confirms that he wants to start for Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers will be shaking up their starting lineup when the team opens their season next month.

Since the team will be without Darius Garland and Max Strus due to injuries, the Cavs will have plenty of opportunities early in the season for different players to grow into bigger roles.

During his Cavs Media Day availability, De’Andre Hunter confirmed that Kenny Atkinson asked him if he would like to be in the starting lineup. Hunter wants to start for the Cavs in 2025.

“It makes it a lot easier. Because honestly before, I didn’t know how to approach him,” Hunter said of his budding relationship with Atkinson. “Now that I know him, I feel comfortable saying anything.”

The Cavs traded for Hunter before the NBA trade deadline in February. Cleveland sent Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to the Atlanta Hawks in order to get the deal done. Right away, the trade was greeted with national fanfare as Hunter seemingly solved Cleveland’s long withstanding issue at the wing position.

While the trade made headlines, Hunter fit seamlessly into the mix with the Cavaliers. The team was in the middle of a 10-game winning streak when he arrived, and they extended that to 16 consecutive victories even when Hunter suited up for the team.

However, when the lights shined brightest in the NBA Playoffs, Hunter was not as impactful as the Cavaliers would have hoped. He played just four games against the Indiana Pacers due to a dislocated thumb suffered in Game 1. During those four games, Hunter added just 36 total points.

“It took time to settle and adjust,” Hunter said. “I’m a lot better than I was.”

Hunter finished fourth in the Sixth Man of the Year award voting last season. He was an impact player off the bench, scoring in volume for the Hawks. But that production tapered once he arrived in Cleveland with a much better roster.

Inserting Hunter into the starting lineup should give the Cavaliers some much-needed length. Even when Strus returns from injury, perhaps Atkinson will decide to continue to roll with Hunter as long as the Cavaliers look efficient.

The Cavaliers understand that they need to make it further than the second round of the NBA Playoffs this season. By adding more versatility, size and scoring in their lineup with Hunter at the small forward, Cleveland could be equipped to dominate the Eastern Conference and set themselves up nicely for a deeper playoff run.