When the Cleveland Cavaliers traded for Caris LeVert as the noteworthy return in a deal with the Indiana Pacers near the last deadline, it was an understandable move. The Cavaliers needed perimeter help, and LeVert was a player that could fit the bill.
LeVert had shown throughout his career, with the Brooklyn Nets first, and then Indiana, that he can create for himself and others. With Cleveland’s tough injury situation, and with Darius Garland‘s workload, the Cavaliers swung the deal for LeVert, and it appeared to be a no-brainer.
LeVert had posted averages of 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per contest with Indiana in 39 appearances with them in 2021-22 before the trade. For his career, he’s had 14.6 points, 4.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 27.6 minutes per contest, and he’s played his share of time as both a bench and starting contributor.
With the Cavaliers, LeVert didn’t quite get his footing, though.
In 19 regular season games, he had 13.6 points per outing, which was not nearly what he provided for the Pacers, but it was another new situation for him, and LeVert couldn’t establish a consistent rhythm post-All-Star. He played in four games with Cleveland pre-All-Star break, and then missed a nine-game stretch to begin post-All-Star play because of a foot sprain. So that has to be factored into things.
LeVert didn’t play very well in Cleveland’s first play-in game at the Nets, but he did rebound in Cleveland’s second play-in loss versus the Atlanta Hawks.
Looking at next season, LeVert should benefit from being much more acclimated, one would think, with the Cavs, and hopefully he’s able to help the group more consistently as a result.
Now, LeVert could potentially be signed to an extension this offseason, but with Garland seemingly likely for a max extension, Collin Sexton reportedly likely to be back and likely extended, it would appear the Cavaliers could have more of a wait-and-see approach with LeVert. LeVert is set to be an expiring deal, in which he’s set to make $18.8 million in 2022-23.
For Cleveland, they should have a clearer picture in the early stages of next season if LeVert can be a long term guy.
The Cavs should know early on next season if LeVert should stick around.
To reiterate, I’m not going to grill LeVert for not crushing it with the Cavs post-trade. It’s not easy making things go without a hitch after being traded mid-season, and the foot sprain coming out of the All-Star break didn’t exactly help.
That said, while I’d expect Sexton to be back, Isaac Okoro will get his share of minutes, for defense, in particular, and Lauri Markkanen will likely start again at the 3 early on, LeVert, one way or another would likely receive starters minutes early. I don’t shortchange Cedi Osman and to some degree, Lamar Stevens, in the wing conversation, either, if Osman is around.
Granted, if the Cavaliers select a wing in next month’s draft, which would seem to have a high likelihood, that player could potentially impact LeVert/others minutes. I wouldn’t imagine that pick, the #14 pick, if they keep it, would be a player that receives considerable minutes early, though.
Anyway, with Caris, we saw how he can definitely be an impactful driving presence, and his pull-up game in the mid-range is not something I discount. But with LeVert, he’s not a player that is that reliable of a catch-and-shoot guy, and from deep overall, his career three-point shooting clip is 33.3 percent, and that was 31.3 percent with Cleveland this season.
While I acknowledge he can make a difference for Cleveland’s bench as a scorer, especially, I personally believe LeVert might end up being more impactful as a playmaker for others with the Cavaliers. Some of LeVert’s game is going to be him self-starting, similarly to Sexton, and that’s fine, however, I do have to give LeVert his credit for his passing.
For his career, he’s had 5.2 assists per-36 minutes, which has been solid, and it also should help LeVert, provided he’s around, that Jarrett Allen will be healthy next season. LeVert didn’t play much with Allen, given Allen’s fractured finger, which is now reportedly fully healed, and with Allen’s presence as a rim runner/roller and dumpoff threat, that’d help LeVert in pick-and-roll work.
Nonetheless, it’s tough to say right now how LeVert meshes in stretches feasibly with Sexton, if LeVert can play effectively with a potential backup point guard signing or draft selection, and if LeVert can be in a better rhythm game-to-game next season. Those are not easy questions to answer, but pretty early on next season, I’d imagine the Cavaliers should have the answer as to whether LeVert can stick around.
Lastly, while we touched on it before with the Cavs, LeVert has not been a player that’s been able to stay healthy consistently in his career. His career-high in games played in a regular season was 71, and he’s appeared in 58, 47 and 45 games the past three seasons, albeit with two of those seasons trimmed down for the league due to COVID-19. Still, LeVert has been injury-prone.
The gist is, next season, I do think the Cavaliers should, and will know pretty early on if LeVert should stick around, and next offseason I’d imagine in this sense, if they should strongly consider re-signing him.
It does seem as if LeVert, who turns 28 in August, could be a potential trade piece this offseason, though, given the somewhat underwhelming play early with the Cavs, and him being on an $18.8 million expiring deal for next season. We shall see.