De'Andre

Hunter

The Cavaliers will start their preferred five on Friday, with Garland, Hunter and Allen back in the fold. Their returns push Lonzo Ball, Jaylon Tyson and Larry Nance Jr. to the bench, although Allen’s minutes may be restricted due to the amount of time he’s missed.

Hunter is being given the night off on the second game of a back-to-back against the Raptors on Monday. The 27-year-old small forward had 17 points and four three-pointers against the Clippers on Sunday. Hunter is just one of six players listed as out already for the Cavaliers on Monday.

Shooting just 31.3 percent from three on the season, Hunter has picked up the production recently. Over the last three games, he’s shot 12-of-24 from deep, which will definitely help that percentage for the season. However, the issue for Hunter isn’t percentages; it’s the limited production outside of points, rebounds and three-pointers. His four assists on Sunday were the most in a game for Hunter since November 13, when he dished out a season-high six against the Raptors. Racking up assists in a lineup that includes Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell is challenging, which is where the defensive stats should come in. Unfortunately, the production in those categories has been limited.

Hunter provided limited value outside of the points and three-pointers, but that has been the norm for him throughout his NBA career. Due to the limited production in assists, steals and blocked shots, he’s still ranked outside the top-100 in nine-cat formats. The good news for those who have Hunter rostered is that he appears to be a safe bet to start until Max Strus returns from offseason ankle surgery. Hunter’s rostered in 34 percent of Yahoo! leagues, a fair percentage given the lackluster production in multiple categories.

Hunter extended his streak of 20-point games to three on Wednesday, needing just 28 minutes to accomplish such. The three-point shot, once again, failed him, but his near-perfection from inside the arc helped him finish as one of two Cavaliers to cross the 20-point mark. Hunter has enjoyed a strong season thus far as a scorer — if he can find his rhythm from three-point land, he’ll be an even more impactful player in fantasy leagues.

Tyson has entered the league’s concussion protocol after suffering a head injury during Monday’s loss to the Heat. With Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell also out, the Cavaliers will rely heavily on Craig Porter Jr. and De’Andre Hunter to absorb the available minutes. They’ll both be worth rostering out of necessity, with the latter already being an option in some 12-team formats.

One game removed from tallying a season-high 29 points, Hunter dropped in 23 more in Monday’s overtime defeat. Rostered in 31 percent of Yahoo! leagues, he’s ranked just outside the top-100 in eight- and nine-cat formats. Hunter hasn’t been the best option in standard category leagues, but the current circumstances in Cleveland make him worth a look. He’ll likely be a starter until Max Strus returns from offseason surgery, and the Cavaliers may be without Darius Garland after he injured his toe during Monday’s game.

Hunter stepped up to shoulder more of the scoring and play-making workload in this one with Darius Garland, who made his season debut earlier this week following offseason toe surgery, held out on the tail-end of a back-to-back. Jaylon Tyson got the start in place of Garland, which figures to happen again early next week against the Heat. He finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes. Hunter delivered several highlight-reel worthy plays, including four three-pointers and a massive dunk after dropping Josh Giddey with a phenomenal crossover in the second quarter.

The Cavs will debut a new opening lineup on Friday, with Garland and Hunter starting together for the first time. Garland made his 2025-26 debut in the most recent Cavaliers win after dealing with a toe injury to begin the year. In the contest, he tallied eight points, two rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes. The Cavaliers aren’t at full strength, but Garland’s return to the starting unit is a positive for a team looking to build on its second-round playoff exit from the previous season.

Initially questionable for Friday’s contest, Hunter is good to go after missing Wednesday’s win over the 76ers. He’ll likely bump Jaylon Tyson to the bench, with the second-year wing’s already-low fantasy value taking a hit. There’s no need to hold onto Tyson in this spot.