The Cleveland Cavaliers are considering acquiring Caris LeVert.
There’s a new rumor on the block concerning the Cleveland Cavaliers and their future at the trade deadline, and that rumor involves Indiana Pacer Caris LeVert. It’s only a rumor right now but it sure has some legs as everyone is talking about it, mostly due to The Athletic’s Joe Vardon is the one reporting on the latest development.
Now, while no formal offers have been made public, 92.3’s Sunday afternoon seemed to suggest that it would take Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro, and a first-round pick to get the deal done. Granted, that doesn’t mean that’s all, it just means that’s what people believe it to be. While the trade doesn’t work one-to-one, the Cavs have a $4.2 million trade exception which will allow the trad to work.
The Cavs do need a second scorer with Ricky Rubio and Sexton being out, and Lauri Markkanen being down for the foreseeable future. That’s not really a debate it’s just about whether or not LeVert is the guy that the team can use to get over the hump.
This leads us to wonder if LeVert is the right guy, and if he is, what Sexton and Okoro can be long-term? These are two young guys that seemingly offer up unique skillsets that LeVert doesn’t have but LeVert offers up a unique skillset that neither Sexton nor Okoro has.
Is improving the team at the cost of their youth worth it to go get LeVert? That’s what we’re here to talk about. So let’s get into it.
Why Cavs should trade for Caris LeVert
The Cleveland Cavaliers would be getting some good skills from Caris LeVert, that’s not up for debate. The thing that should be emphasized is how similarly he plays like Collin Sexton. He shoots a lot from mid-range and does so very well, hitting at a clip of 50.1% from inside the arc. That’s a great clip and that’s going to help whatever team he’s on. He takes a lot of shots from inside and around the basket as well, so he’s an efficient scorer as well; going for the most likely shots to make more than most.
While he wouldn’t be a second-unit guy, he could be staggered with his minutes and provide the point-spot for the second unit to start games. There are only four bench players on the Cavs that get minutes, so usually, there are one or two starters out there with them. LeVert could be one of those guys as he’s a very intuitive passer for a non-point guard. For a non-point guard, his assist to turnover rate isn’t as good as say Luke Kennards but it’s good enough to warrant a look.
He also has that late-career DeMarr DeRozen potential to look into as well. It’s the idea that we know what he is, but on a team that needs him, we really don’t know what that could look like. DeRozen is a borderline MVP candidate in Chicago, and while no one should heap that type of expectation on LeVert, LeVert could take a massive leap forward with the Cavs.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t legitimate issues against not trading for him.
Why the Cavs shouldn’t trade for Caris LeVert
The Cleveland Cavaliers are potentially offering up some youth, some draft picks, and a whole commitment to a guy who may not be what the team needs. Looking at if Caris LeVert is a fit for the Cavs is important. So what are the knocks against him?
Firstly, his age and injury history. He’s 27-turning-28 in August and has a history of injuries to his name. We’re talking serious issues to his ankles, thighs, and back, which are pretty important in a game like a basketball. As players get older they usually break down faster, and the injuries start to pile up even more so. To be fair, we have seen players avoid getting injured after a series of issues, like Grant Hill. Hill actually played 65 games in a season five times after his 2001-2006 seasons. He hit 80 games three times. He was able to bounce back after a history of injuries to play full seasons. He wasn’t what he was but he was still an NBA-caliber starter.
So maybe LeVert can start clocking in 70+ games a year. Maybe not, though.
The other issue to worry about is his contract. It’s nearly $20 million over the next two years and that’s could actually be a steal in some situations. If he out-plays the deal and gets the Cavs to the NBA Finals? Sure, it’s worth it. That said, he’s a free agent in 2023. The Cavs would have to give up a lot to get LeVert and if he does hit the open market at 29, what is he worth? Let’s say he balls out or us, but wants a four-year deal at $30 million a clip. Is he worth that?
I would say not and if he isn’t playing to a level where he warrants a new deal, was giving up Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro (or whoever else) worth it?
The other issue to worry about is his fit in the system. He’s not a great three-point shooter and that’s something you really need in the league. He’s not bad, by any means and the team isn’t giving up anyone in this hypothetical offer who can hit threes (Darius Garland, Kevin Love, Cedi Osman) but he’s not such a robust shooter that he helps stretch the court either.
He takes 70% of his shots from inside the arc. Is that what the Cavs want, a mid-range scorer? I thought we had enough of those. That’s not great, but worst yet is the fact he’s just not a good defensive player. In his career, he’s only posted a positive defensive RAPTOR score twice. Once in 2017-2018 (+0.1) and once again 2018-2019 (+1.5).
That’s it. He’s not a guy you can rely on to get a stop. This year he’s bottomed out at a -2.2. Granted, the Pacers defense is bad, but is his figure bad because of the team he’s on or is the team bad because LeVert is on the team?
Should the Cavs trade for LeVert?
So, should the Cleveland Cavaliers trade for Caris LeVert? Well, if he’s the only other option out there, then ok. Fine. The team needs to make a move to bolster their scoring, we can’t deny that any longer. We’ve waited to see what the team would look like going forward after the rash of injuries and scoring is a problem.
We can’t rely on Brandon Goodwin.
That said, if there are any other deals, any at all, the Cavaliers can make, then they should absolutely not make this trade. I just looked at five deals the Cavs could make, one of which involves Caris LeVert but there are three, maybe even four better fits for the team than him.
Namely CJ McCollum and Luke Kennard. If you can swing both, even better.
Part of the issue is that while Caris LeVert would help the offense out, he would hurt the defense arguably just as much. LeVert’s box+/- on the season is a -0.5, while Isaac Okoro is a +2.0. Losing Okoro may hurt the Cavaliers more than adding LeVert could ever help. After all, despite what the media tries to sell you on, basketball is a two-way sport, and playing defense matters just as much as playing offense.
Look at the Hornets win, Okoro was so aggressive against LaMelo Ball all-game long, Ball barely did any real damage. Now replace LeVert with Okoro; do you think he can play Ball the same way?
Lastly, the Cavs don’t need another player just like Collin Sexton. They already have Sexton, and there’s no reason to make a trade for a taller, but also older version of him. If you’re going to make a move, it should be for someone that adds in what you don’t have already. LeVert isn’t going to play a three-and-D style and that’s what this team excels at.
The Cavs should keep looking for better options because while we’ll settle for LeVert, that’s exactly what we’d be doing; settling.