Expecting this from Caris LeVert for Cavs would be wishful thinking
By Dan Gilinsky
LeVert functioning a bunch off-ball seems unrealistic
Now, as he recently expressed in media availability, LeVert is looking forward to having more off-ball opportunites, as KJG’s John Suchan detailed. Playing off of Garland, Mitchell and/or Evan Mobley could play into that for LeVert, in theory.
And I do get that LeVert connected on 40.6 percent of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts last season, per NBA.com’s tracking data, and to some degree, I have to give him a pass for his play post-trade with Cleveland during last regular season.
That was a tough situation in-season, and following the All-Star break, LeVert’s foot ailment didn’t enable him to establish much of a rhythm with the Cavaliers. He missed the first nine games post-All-Star break, and that didn’t make things any easier for him to get comfortable.
In 19 regular season games with the Cavs post-trade, he had 13.6 points per game, and had inconsistencies. I’m not going to grill him for that, and LeVert was more efficient overall in the 10 games he started. In Cleveland’s play-in losses, it was a mixed bag for him.
Nonetheless, I’d probably rather LeVert not be starting games, because while there was some positive signs last season off-ball, LeVert hit 33.0 percent of his catch-and-shoot three-point attempts the year prior, per NBA.com’s tracking data. In 2019-20, that clip was 31.6 percent with the Brooklyn Nets.
Sure, Garland and Mitchell are big-time players, but throughout his career, LeVert hasn’t been much of a catch-and-shoot guy from three. He can make some plays as a cutter, I just don’t envision that and the aforementioned shooting element being ways he’d be best utilized.
So, in my opinion, I’d rather Cleveland go in a different direction for the starting 3 spot.
I could end up having to live with it if the Cavs do start LeVert there, however, with LeVert not being an impact defender, realistically, I wouldn’t be a huge proponent of that. In that sense, Stevens or Wade, for defensive skill set, and size, would be more logical.