Caris LeVert: Drunken Kung Fu

[FrontPageNews]

This is also likely why Utah was willing to trade their star shooting guard that has currently been the leading player on our team. I'm sure we'd be able to find this 3 and D player if we were willing to trade one of our big 4. However, we kinda need to be honest with ourselves here guys, a package of Cedi, LeVert and Wade isn't going to net us a player that is going to be that markedly better than the sum of their parts. For example, if you were the Suns would you trade even Jae Crowder straight up for LeVert?

Fuck crowder. One of the biggest bitches in the league. As soon as we’d put him on the bench for a better match up he’ll bitch and whine. Not worth it. Not even that good.

 

[Cavatt]

Who needs an all around 3? We need a 3&D. We sort of have it in Wade. Levert should play less and Wade should play more. That's a coaching problem though.

This is where I am at. We have the guy in Wade we need and his lineup data is great. Levert needs pulled like Cedi when he isn't playing great.

Still leaning toward starting Wade and having Levert off the bench. Levert is getting lost in the SL now that Darius is back.

So, because we are playing Wade at the 3 and backup 4, we need another 4. He's already on the bench. Diakite. Should have actually had Diakite playing against the Clippers long wings.

More Wade wins that game IMO. Especially since Levert made some costly mistakes down the stretch. Still with the way they called fouls on him, not sure it wouldn't just be another guy who got called.

 

[Lee]

This is where I am at. We have the guy in Wade we need and his lineup data is great. Levert needs pulled like Cedi when he isn't playing great.

Still leaning toward starting Wade and having Levert off the bench. Levert is getting lost in the SL now that Darius is back.

So, because we are playing Wade at the 3 and backup 4, we need another 4. He's already on the bench. Diakite. Should have actually had Diakite playing against the Clippers long wings.

More Wade wins that game IMO. Especially since Levert made some costly mistakes down the stretch. Still with the way they called fouls on him, not sure it wouldn't just be another guy who got called.

The one reason to start Wade over LeVert is you could avoid Okoro minutes all together. Levert can come is as a SG, Cedi as backup SF or Lamar. If JBB can figure out Okoro is unplayable, then start Wade till Rubio comes back to fill the Okoro minutes.

I think LeVert has earned his starting, but the rotation is better with Wade in the starting lineup, i keep flip flopping on this, so its a tough decision, but i would try it.

 

[bs80]

For those of us who were around in Lebrons 1st stint...is it just me or does LeVerts entire game have an uncanny resemblance to Larry Hughes? i suppose Hughes had a better reputation on D but they are almost the same player.

Once someone claims the domain heycarislevertpleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com I'll be more inclined to entertain this comparison

 

[CroopZ23]

Once someone claims the domain heycarislevertpleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com I'll be more inclined to entertain this comparison

How did i forget about that....

 

[Randolphkeys]

Once someone claims the domain heycarislevertpleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com I'll be more inclined to entertain this comparison

I know @PIP was the first at RCF to use that domain name as a joke. I'm 90% sure he also started the site, which followed Hughes around the league from fanbase to fanbase.

Fucking hilarious.

And I'd still take LeVert's defense this year over what Hughes provided.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

This is where I am at. We have the guy in Wade we need and his lineup data is great. Levert needs pulled like Cedi when he isn't playing great.

Still leaning toward starting Wade and having Levert off the bench. Levert is getting lost in the SL now that Darius is back.

So, because we are playing Wade at the 3 and backup 4, we need another 4. He's already on the bench. Diakite. Should have actually had Diakite playing against the Clippers long wings.

More Wade wins that game IMO. Especially since Levert made some costly mistakes down the stretch. Still with the way they called fouls on him, not sure it wouldn't just be another guy who got called.

This is what I was getting at in the SF safari thread. Basically the need to add/find one more rotation piece that would let Wade and/or LeVert cover more of the SF position while kicking Okoro out of the rotation. I'm all for playing Diakite. I don't know if he's toast, but Derrick Favors is an FA right now. He's not a stretch big, but he has a good mid-range game which should let him play with basically all of our bigs. The bonus would be he has history with Rubio and Mitchell and seems to be a good locker room guy from what I can tell.

Again, I haven't watch Favors play at all in the last 1-2 years so I have no idea what he has left in the tank, but he just came to mind as an available guy that could play some minutes at the 4/5 so Wade didn't have to.

 

[Randolphkeys]

This is what I was getting at in the SF safari thread. Basically the need to add/find one more rotation piece that would let Wade and/or LeVert cover more of the SF position. I'm all for playing Diakite. I don't know if he's toast, but Derrick Favors is an FA right now. He's not a stretch big, but he has a good mid-range game which should let him play with basically all of our bigs. The bonus would be he has history with Rubio and Mitchell and seems to be a good locker room guy from what I can tell.

Again, I haven't watch Favors play at all in the last 1-2 years so I have no idea what he has left in the tank, but he just came to mind as an available guy that could play some minutes at the 4/5 so Wade didn't have to.

He looked washed two years ago when the Pelicans benched him. He was banished to the end of the Thunder bench last season... I think Father Time won again.

 

[Dr No]

He looked washed two years ago when the Pelicans benched him. He was banished to the end of the Thunder bench last season... I think Father Time won again.

of course, getting banished to the end of the Thunder bench may be taken as proof that he could still play.

 

[Randolphkeys]

of course, getting banished to the end of the Thunder bench may be taken as proof that he could still play.

...by fools. The Rockets kicked the tires and cut him. It's not like other teams aren't keeping tabs the past few years.

 

[chuck0609]

Moving LeVert would

The one reason to start Wade over LeVert is you could avoid Okoro minutes all together. Levert can come is as a SG, Cedi as backup SF or Lamar. If JBB can figure out Okoro is unplayable, then start Wade till Rubio comes back to fill the Okoro minutes.

I think LeVert has earned his starting, but the rotation is better with Wade in the starting lineup, i keep flip flopping on this, so its a tough decision, but i would try it.

I love this. No issue with LeVert playing, and playing minutes, especially if that can eliminate Okoro.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

LeVert is playing great defense - the Cavs are 8.9 points better defensively when he's on the floor. His offense has been neutral at +0.5.

I don't think LeVert can continue to hit 44% from deep. But he won't continue to shoot 27% on mid-range shots, either. He's playing a new position offensively and they're moving him around. Sometimes he's with Mitch and Garland as a small forward, other times he's a guard and Cedi or Wade is at small forward. He's still getting to his spots and taking high percentage shots - he's just missing them.

Even if his 3-point percentage drops off I think his offense will improve as he gets more comfortable with his role and the mid-range 2's start falling. He's only shooting 40% at the rim - 20% lower than his career average of about 60%. His short mid-range shot (4-14 feet) is down from 44% last year to 29%. Those numbers will surely increase. His assist to usage percentage is in the 90th percentile among wings.

He's doing very well defensively, dishing out assists, and on 3-point shots. He's struggling with the short mid-range shots and at the rim, but those numbers should ReVert to the norm. If and when that happens he'll be one heck of a player and a very versatile one at that.

 

[Dr No]

LeVert is playing great defense - the Cavs are 8.9 points better defensively when he's on the floor. His offense has been neutral at +0.5.

I don't think LeVert can continue to hit 44% from deep. But he won't continue to shoot 27% on mid-range shots, either. He's playing a new position offensively and they're moving him around. Sometimes he's with Mitch and Garland as a small forward, other times he's a guard and Cedi or Wade is at small forward. He's still getting to his spots and taking high percentage shots - he's just missing them.

Even if his 3-point percentage drops off I think his offense will improve as he gets more comfortable with his role and the mid-range 2's start falling. He's only shooting 40% at the rim - 20% lower than his career average of about 60%. His short mid-range shot (4-14 feet) is down from 44% last year to 29%. Those numbers will surely increase. His assist to usage percentage is in the 90th percentile among wings.

He's doing very well defensively, dishing out assists, and on 3-point shots. He's struggling with the short mid-range shots and at the rim, but those numbers should ReVert to the norm. If and when that happens he'll be one heck of a player and a very versatile one at that.

I like the versatility we have with LeVert, Wade & Cedi. Sure, it would be great to have one outstanding option at the 3 who wouldn't break the bank, but those are hard to find. So far, between them, those 3 have been getting done what we need getting done.

 

[Peacedog]

It looks to me that the best role for LeVert is backup to the starting backcourt. 3 man rotation with DG and DM allows to keep 2 play-making guards on the floor at all times and allows to keep the minutes for all of them down a little. Also 35 mpg for LeVert is absurd, he never warranted that much in his career.

 

[Douglar]

Looks like LeVert's still in a slump