Stevens is multi-positional defensively, and his offense has improved
Stevens has done a fine job filling in for stretches for Isaac Okoro this season, for example, and he’s more than capable of containing wings, and with his sturdy 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, he can handle 4s as well.
Plus, this season, we’ve seen Stevens at times prove to be more than capable of limiting penetration from opposing primary playmakers; he’s not as effective in those situations as Okoro, but has been solid on a number of occasions, still.
Generally speaking, Stevens’ defensive versatility can still be valuable for the Cavaliers, and he has made tangible strides offensively.
In spot starts filling in for an injured Isaac Okoro last month, Stevens had career-highs in scoring in two of three games, and this season, he has shown he can regularly to his spots with mid-range pull-ups when possessions call for it. His cutting and finishing shouldn’t be discounted, either, nor his transition abilities.
Overall, he’s converted on 65.8 percent of his shot attempts in the restricted area, per NBA.com’s shooting data; those shots have made up for a healthy 41.2 percent of his total shot attempts. And he’s placed in the 66th percentile in transition scoring on a frequency of 19.0 percent, per Synergy Sports.
That said, with Markkanen seemingly likely to return soon, and with Caris LeVert‘s recent trade acquisition, and with others, such as Okoro and Cedi Osman heavily involved, Stevens is likely on the outside looking in, regarding regular rotational minutes.