The Cleveland Cavaliers don't have a lot of cards left to play. They pushed nearly all of their chips into the middle in trading for Donovan Mitchell, making the bet that they could reach the level of contention with the pieces they had in place already. That bet has mostly been proven out, as the Cavs won 51 games last season, but they also are clearly outside the inner ring of Eastern Conference contenders.
With their first-round picks all promised, a trade to upgrade the roster in any meaningful way means either breaking up their core of stars, something they are understandably loath to do, or trading Caris LeVert. The dynamic swingman has been both a high-level Sixth Man for the Cavs and the perfect fill-in when Mitchell or Darius Garland miss time, but it's undeniable that he is more valuable to a team that needs his on-ball creation.
Which teams might be interested in LeVert, enough to trade real assets for him? Let's look at five potential candidates and see why they would want to add LeVert to their rosters.
No. 5: The Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors have built a team of similar players, a reality that is strangling their ability to score in halfcourt offense. Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby and Scottie Barnes are all truly power forwards, with Anunoby the only one who provides much off-ball value. They lost their on-ball creator in Fred VanVleet and have struggled to replace him. If and when they lose Siakam via trade or in free agency next summer, they will truly be strapped for on-ball creation.
That's where LeVert comes in, a player who can come off the bench or even start at shooting guard for the Raptors. He can help them score in the halfcourt and has improved as an off-ball player to run alongside Barnes or Siakam when they have the ball. He helps solve many of their issues and is under contract for another season past this one.
No. 4: The Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have played extremely well after trading James Harden, driven by another MVP-type season from Joel Embiid and the rise of Tyrese Maxey. Behind them, however, the Sixers don't have a second reliable ball-handler to step in when Maxey is off the court.
LeVert looks like an ideal fit, a player with some size who won't compromise their defense while being versatile enough to play alongside or in place of Maxey. If the Sixers are trying to maximize their chances of winning this season, trading for LeVert makes a lot of sense. If they are trying to maximize their flexibility next summer, LeVert is under contract for next season and as such probably wouldn't be a target for Philly.
No. 3: The Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz have built on of the league's most versatile frontcourts. Former Cavalier Lauri Markkanen is an All-Star toggling between both forward positions, and he starts alongside high-octane John Collins, the shot-blocking Walker Kessler, the floor-spacing Kelly Olynyk and the rookie 3-and-D power forward Taylor Hendricks.
Their backcourt is another question entirely, and they have a few shot-takers in Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton, a few defensive guards in Kris Dunn and Talen Horton-Tucker, and only one true passer and playmaker in the rookie Keyontae George. They could really use another ball-handler and playmaker, and that's where Caris LeVert would come in.
It's very possible that Jazz, off to a slower start than expected, save all of their resources and stay patient. It's also possible that they want to start building a roster that makes sense around Markkanen before he can leave in free agency in the summer of 2025. If it's the latter, LeVert makes a lot of sense to give them another solid playmaker.
No. 2: The New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are flush with intriguing players. What is Zion Williamson's ceiling if he can stay healthy? Is Brandon Ingram budget Kevin Durant or Rudy Gay? Is Trey Murphy a budding star? What role will Dyson Daniels have in a year or two?
The place where they aren't flush is at ball-handler, as this team plays a number of combo guards and wings with Jose Alvarado the sole exception. Caris LeVert isn't one of those either, but he can help shore up their playmaking-by-committee approach. He is an ideal player to insert into defensive-oriented bench lineups to give a team a functional NBA offense, and he also can play off of Zion Williamson while not overly compromising the spacing.
No. 1: The Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are another team struggling to score in the halfcourt, with their size on defense and force in transition buoying a team whose poor spacing threatens their chances of contending this season. Their run to the In-Season Tournament showed the upside, but their record in all other games (7-10) speaks to the struggle.
The Lakers are always open to a big swing, but they may also target a player like Caris LeVert to shore up some of their weaknesses without using all of their remaining assets. He could pair with Gabe Vincent off the bench to provide some scoring and playmaking, or he could even be a part of the starting lineup at the 2 if Austin Reaves continues to come off of the bench.
LeVert can score, he can pass, and he is a competent defender. That's the archetype of a player that can help a lot of teams, and whether it's one of these five or another franchise, it's very possible that he will find himself in a new jersey by this season's Trade Deadline.