Fantasy basketball trade deadline fallout: Winners and losers, new roles and more - ESPN
With the NBA trade deadline fast approaching on Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET, teams are making moves that could shift the fantasy basketball landscape. Whether it's a blockbuster trade like the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis swap or a subtle roster tweak, every transaction has fantasy implications.
Our fantasy experts Andre Snellings and Eric Moody are here to break down the fantasy impact of the most notable deals.
Trade details: The Cavaliers acquired Hunter from Atlanta in exchange for LeVert, Georges Niang and draft considerations.
Hunter on the Cavaliers: Hunter was in the midst of the best scoring season of his career, averaging 19.0 PPG and 2.6 3PG in 28.8 MPG, largely off the bench. He will seemingly have a smaller shot share with a deep, talented Cavaliers squad than he did with the Hawks. Le'Vert was only averaging 7.8 FGA and Niang 6.8 FGA for the Cavaliers while Hunter took almost as many shots combined (13.3 FGA) with the Hawks. It isn't clear whether Hunter will just replace LeVert as the Cavaliers' sixth man or whether he might challenge Max Strus (7.0 FGA) for the starting wing spot, but either way it would seem Hunter's days of challenging for 20.0 PPG are over for this season.
If Hunter can get a shot share near what LeVert has averaged the last two seasons (11.0 FGA), he could still score in the mid-to upper-mid teens with a couple of 3-pointers per game. That level of production would border between flex start and fantasy streaming option on most days. Hunter was already worth adding in the 68.1% of ESPN leagues where he was available, and he is still worth rostering in most leagues.
LeVert on the Hawks: LeVert had been in a major slump and was sliding in the Cavaliers' rotation since the end of 2024, averaging