Panic or patience with 3 struggling Cleveland Cavaliers players

Struggling Cleveland Cavaliers: Caris LeVert

Anyone who watched Caris LeVert drop 41 points on the Boston Celtics in an overtime victory earlier in the season will question his placement on this list, and rightfully so. When LeVert is having a good game he can take over and score despite defensive attention. Few players in the league have his upside as a scorer.

The problem is the rest of the time, when LeVert plays like an elite scorer but just doesn’t have it. Let’s start with the good: LeVert is shooting 36.6 percent from 3-point range, a career-best mark, and is averaging 4.8 assists per game. His facilitation has been solid and has helped a Cavs attack that thrives on moving the ball.

Now for the bad: Caris LeVert is shooting just 35.1 percent from 2-point range. Yes, he is shooting better from outside the arc than he is from inside of it. Of the 214 players in the league who have taken at least 100 field goal attempts this season, Caris LeVert ranks 211th in 2-point percentage, just behind Killian Hayes.

As such, his true shooting percentage is the lowest of his career at 47.6 percent. That’s why the starting lineup with LeVert struggled, and why head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made the change to move LeVert to the bench. That’s likely the right choice, even if it likely chafes LeVert not to start. His 2-point percentage will probably improve closer to career marks (48.3 percent for his career) but it doesn’t solve the greater problem of his fit on the team.

His defense was fairly good to start the year but has also dropped off, and on a team with Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Cavs don’t need an inefficient shooter taking a lot of shots. It’s always been the problem with LeVert fitting into this team, and the early season hasn’t proven any differently. He is good insurance in case one of the two star guards is out, but otherwise he is a prime candidate to be traded.

Verdict: Panic