This is additional reason for Caris LeVert to come off the Cavs bench

Heading into the 2022-23 season, it’s uncertain prior to training camp as to who will be the starting 3 for the Cleveland Cavaliers to begin the year.

For now, it appears as if the likes of Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert are among the frontrunners to land that role, and others such as Dean Wade and to some extent, Lamar Stevens, could be in the running. Cedi Osman is in the mix, too, it seems.

I’d personally lean for the recently-extended Wade to take hold of that role, in the event the Cavaliers do not make a trade for an established starting 3, as an aside. LeVert could seemingly be involved in a deal in that scenario, but I do acknowledge that he can aid the team this go-round with him set to be more acclimated, as opposed to last season.

LeVert had his share of inconsistencies following this then-trade acquisition from near the past deadline from the Indiana Pacers, and his foot sprain following the All-Star break didn’t help him. I’ll cut him some slack, though.

Nonetheless, in my opinion, for the team to maximize his impact for them, it would be more sensible to play him off the bench. Even prior to the trade for Donovan Mitchell, I frankly would’ve favored that, but after that deal, it’d make all the more sense to get LeVert more involved himself, give the team energy feasibly and for him to establish a rhythm for stretches.

And an additional reason for that to occur has to do with aiding Kevin Love, too.

Helping free Love up is additional reason for LeVert to come off the bench for the Cavs, and both could feed off one another for spurts.

Love was outstanding in a move to a supersub role for Cleveland last season, and had one of his more efficient seasons in years. 13.6 points per outing for him wasn’t one of his higher raw scoring seasons of his career, however, he did so in 22.5 minutes per game, and despite coming off the bench, he led the Cavaliers in made three-pointers with 187.

For his efforts, Love finished second in the voting for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year honors, and he connected on a robust 39.2 percent of his three-point attempts.

It was evident that after last season, the Cavs should have their blueprint for how to best use him, too, which was reassuring, and with how he was managed, he was healthy and appeared in 74 games, aside from a COVID-19 health and safety protocols absence. Even with him set to enter his age-34 season, the team should be able to preserve Love again this coming season, I believe.

He should still be able to give the Cavaliers a notable lift in bench minutes, too, to clarify. And if LeVert is more in a bench role, that could again help free up Love for more open catch-and-shoot looks with LeVert as a secondary or at times primary playmaking presence.

To reiterate, it’s uncertain if LeVert will ultimately be in a starting or bench role for the Cavs when the season is underway.

But, for him to have more opportunities to get in-rhythm, both as a scorer and playmaker, that to me with Garland, Mitchell and Mobley as starters, would be more sensible. LeVert still should receive his share of minutes, anyway, for an offensive boost; for his career, he’s had 14.6 points and 4.0 assists per outing in both starting and bench roles.

And as we’ve expressed here, with his on-ball presence and being a capable playmaker for stretches, an additional reason for LeVert to come off the bench would be to help free up Love for more open looks, in my opinion. That’s at least until Ricky Rubio comes back from injury, seemingly, and with Love’s shooting abilities, he could greatly aid LeVert in a similar light.

Now, LeVert is currently set to be expiring, and could be a potential trade candidate. The same could theoretically apply for Love, but if given the opportunities, they could be a bench duo to watch for stretches for the Cavaliers.