With Cavs banged up, Lamar Stevens should receive PT for this reason

The counting stats don’t paint the whole picture with Stevens, and he’s found ways to make a difference off-ball

Stevens has had 4.9 points in 13.9 minutes per contest this season, and on the year, has hit 29.5 percent from three. Last season, the initial two-way signing back following the 2020 NBA Draft was only 4-of-25 from three in Year 1 (a 16.0 percent clip).

Stevens has shown throughout this season when given the opportunities in meaningful stretches that he’s a much improved cutter though, and while the catch-and-shoot play is still a question mark, his driving abilities can help Cleveland. His mid-range game is legitimate, too, paired with the drives.

But for context, Stevens has not been getting much rotational playing time in recent games, so we haven’t seen that from him of late. He’s had two DNPs in the last nine games, and in the other contests, has received just 6.6 minutes of run in that stretch, in which he’s had 2.3 points per outing on 41.7 percent shooting.

That said, in his eight prior appearances leading into that point, he did show some of his driving and mid-range abilities, and had 6.3 points in 18.2 minutes per game in that span. In spot starts this season filling in, Stevens had 9.3 points in 23.4 minutes per contest, and shot 56.1 percent.

Granted, I know, that’s not blowing the roof off as a rotational scorer (he did have two starts in that aforementioned stretch from Jan. 14-Feb. 2).

However, while I understand he’s not going to be getting near the PT Isaac Okoro gets, and is not quite as capable against primary initiators or some 2s, it’s not as if there’s a huge disparity defensively in that realm, and Stevens can handle big wings.

And from there, with Cleveland’s injuries recently, that’s more of a reason for Stevens minutes.