Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson: De’Andre Hunter Fits Our Style Of Play

February 10, 2025

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson made it clear that he thinks De’Andre Hunter will help fairly quickly.

Fresh off his first full practice session with the Cavs, Hunter’s adaptability, defensive strengths, and connection with teammates were key topics.

Atkinson provided insight into Hunter’s role, his expected impact, and the transition process as the team looks to build on their defensive identity and offensive cohesion.

Hunter is already making an impression with the Cavs, and early assessments suggest he could be a game-changer on both ends of the floor. Following his first practice with the team, Hunter’s size and defensive versatility stood out immediately.

“Yes, he went through practice, put him through some script, went through the playbook on offense and defense, also did a short video session to get him up to speed,” Atkinson explained.

His physical presence was one of the first things noted by the coaching staff.

“[My first impression] was his size. It stands out,” Atkinson said. “Great length, stout, strong. It’s good to see that in person.”

Hunter’s ability to guard multiple positions is expected to be his biggest contribution in the short term.

“[I’m most excited about] the positional size … his ability to guard guys 1-5 … he can switch and all that stuff,” Atkinson said. “I’m not saying the offense is gonna be easy, it will take some time. Getting help defensively is where we need him most right now.”

While adjusting to the Cavaliers, Hunter is expected to feel comfortable within a few games, but a full assessment of his impact could take longer.

“For him to feel comfortable, probably 3-4 games,” Atkinson said. “For me to get an in-depth understanding of who this guy is, probably 10 to 15 games. ”

His pairing with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley could allow him more freedom on defense, increasing the team’s ability to generate turnovers.

Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson on De’Andre Hunter: “On the way here I was thinking of all the things we haven’t taught him yet. So we’re just focused on the basics. It might take some time.”

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) February 10, 2025

“Can that ramp him up in terms of his ability to get more turnovers and be more active on the ball,” Atkinson said of Hunter. “He’ll have more freedom to swipe and poke and use his physicality because we do have those big guys behind him. But that’s not only him, it’s our whole team.”

Offensively, Hunter’s catch-and-shoot ability and off-ball screening skills are expected to enhance the team’s pick-and-roll game.

“He fits our style of play offensively,” Atkinson said. “Obviously the catch-and-shoot piece is huge. He is also really good at off-ball screening, which can give us some variety as a pick-and-roll team.”

A key storyline for Hunter’s transition is his bond with Ty Jerome, a connection formed during their championship-winning days at the University of Virginia.

“Those guys won a national championship together,” Atkinson said. “There’s something to that connection and their bond. Ty playing great obviously gives him more voice and more influence in the locker room and I think he’ll have a real positive influence on De’Andre.”

Atkinson added that his first impressions of Hunter are “Ivy League-ish.” In other words, “smart, buttoned up, picks things up quickly.” This speaks to his and the team’s confidence in Hunter’s acclimation to the squad.