3 Cavaliers Who Won't Survive the Trade Deadline
By Cem Yolbulan
2. Caris LeVert
LeVert is having a productive season. He helped keep Cleveland afloat through the injuries with his scoring, playmaking, and much-improved defense. He is averaging 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 28 minutes per game this season.
However, when the Cavs are fully healthy, LeVert is superfluous. With Mitchell and Garland in the backcourt, Cleveland doesn't need LeVert's shot creation and scoring. They need shooting and defense. And LeVert isn't great in either of those departments.
LeVert is shooting 33.7% from three this season. He is also one of the least efficient players on the team, with a 53.1 True Shooting percentage. He is not the cleanest fit next to Garland and Mitchell due to his lack of shooting and efficiency.
His skill set could be better utilized on a different team that needs creation. At age 29, he is still in his prime. His $15 million per year salary also makes him an excellent salary-matching asset that can be used to go after bigger fish on the trade market.