Kyle Korver gives Cleveland a needed boost in the perimeter shooting department (Getty)
On Thursday it was reported that the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers was on the verge of making a move to bolster their rotation. And on Saturday the Cavs completed a deal with the Atlanta Hawks that is centered around guard Kyle Korver.
In exchange Atlanta receives guard/forward Mike Dunleavy, guard Mo Williams, cash considerations and a protected first round pick. The earliest that the protected first round pick can be used by the Hawks is the 2019 NBA Draft. News of the trade was first reported by The Vertical Thursday evening.
Korver commented on his time in Atlanta following the Hawks’ game Thursday night.
Currently averaging 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, Korver’s shooting 40.9 percent from three this season and is a career 42.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc. 98.5 percent of Korver’s 65 made three-pointers this season have been assisted, and nearly 64 percent of his points have come on three-pointers.
Korver joins a team that’s second in the NBA in three-point percentage (39.1 percent), and his arrival gives Cleveland another player to space the floor and open up driving lanes for LeBron James and Kyrie Irving.
Korver shoots 39.1% from 3 when contested to 47.9% when he’s open (since 2013 / @nbastats). Now he’s about to be more open than ever before.
As for Dunleavy, he’s averaging 4.6 points and 2.0 rebounds per game this season, shooting just 35.1 percent from beyond the arc. Dunleavy’s playing just under 16 minutes per game this season, with Cleveland acquiring him via trade with Chicago last July.
The bigger question when it comes to Atlanta is what potentially happens to power forward Paul Millsap. Millsap, who is making $20,072,033 this season, can opt out of the final year of his deal and become an unrestricted free agent this coming summer. Earlier this week it was reported that Millsap planned to do just that, and as a result the Hawks could look to move him in order to get something in return.
