Let’s start the new week off right. Here’s your The Cleveland Cavaliers news and links of the day.
The first sip
Caris LeVert will enter his fourth year with Cleveland. None of his previous seasons saw him play the same role.
The Cavs traded for LeVert after Ricky Rubio tore his ACL. This team desperately needed a point guard besides Darius Garland to get their big three involved. LeVert did that by slotting into the starting five at shooting guard.
That role changed drastically after the Donovan Mitchell trade. LeVert was benched while finishing many games as a power forward. This forced him to defend the opponent’s best wing option while being relegated to a spot-up shooter role alongside Garland and Mitchell.
Last season was another change. Projected backup point guard Ty Jerome got injured in the first two games of last season, forcing LeVert to take turns at the position. He wasn’t finishing games at wing with Max Strus in town, but he was asked to take on more backup point guard responsibilities. That led him to be more of a playmaker than a finisher like he was for stretches of the 2022-23 season. As a result, he helped 26% Cleveland baskets when he was on the court (96th percentile for a wing) while just turning it over 10.3% of them (67th percentile).
There’s no clear answer as to what role he’s performed best or what would be a better fit for him. LeVert’s versatility is the most valuable tool he has to offer. He’s capable enough to fill in gaps as they arise, but he also doesn’t perform those roles well enough to keep you from wanting an upgrade there.
LeVert’s role next season will likely depend on factors beyond his control.
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Random Rider of the Day – Tree Rollins
Rollins was one of the league’s best defenders in his prime. He led the NBA in blocks in 1982-83 and was selected to two All-Defensive teams. He was a different player when he played for the Cavs from 1988-90. Back then, he was a backup center and was drafted to Cleveland to back up Brad Daugherty.
The 1988-89 Cavs were one of the best teams in franchise history. They went 57-25 before falling victim to Michael Jordan’s season-ending shot. Rollins appeared in every game of that series while contributing four blocks and nine points in Game 3.
Rollins played 18 seasons in the NBA, including serving as an assistant player-coach with the Orlando Magic during his final campaign. He was an assistant for several seasons and on other NBA teams before joining the NBA. WNBA where he was last an assistant during the 2014-15 season with the Chicago Sky.
WNBA Schedule Today
- Indiana Fever vs. Atlanta Dream, 7:30 p.m.
- New York Liberty vs. Phoenix Mercury, 10 p.m.
- Washington Mystics vs. Seattle Storm, 10 p.m.
