LeVert has been insanely inefficient. He's 3rd on the team in usage (!!), but is shooting career lows across the board. His TS% is a vomit-inducing 47, the worst in the team if you exclude Moses Brown, who's not really a basketball player.
Such a minuscule sample size with variables such as being a new player on a new team in a new role he’s never been asked to play before, throw in a foot injury and a minutes reatriction…
So we have a bunch of stats that are essentially meaningless.
What we do know is that he has likely been a catalyst to at least 3 wins that would have otherwise been losses..in 9 games. And we have some indications that when he is playing with our closing lineup good things are happening.
In 45 minutes the LeVert, Okoro, Mobley, Garland, Markannen is +11. Which is a really, really, really amazing number.
When that changes to Osman, LeVert, Love, Mobley, Rondo…theyre -6.8. But only in 22 minutes of game time..
LeVert, Okoro, Allen, Mobley, Garland looks really ugly though -34.4!!!. But only barely 20 minutes on the court so likely just statistical noise, probably just two games or so worth of play where they got absolutely housed. And that is honestly a lineup I wouldn’t be a fan of because until Okoro becomes a knockdown shooter(though he’s been $$ from the right corner recently), and at least one of Mobley or Allen becomes passable…the spacing there is rough and underscores the importance of Markannen at the 3.
Early retirement s seems like a more traditional lineup with decent spacing and Garland+LeVert together with a shooting big and a strong roll man is the optimal lineup. And it makes sense, and that’s what we’ve often been closing with especially with Allen out.
The key to LeVert and Garland working well together is mobility and spacing/shooting.
LeVert has the potential to be a great asset for this team but we absolutely have to add a strong, consistent shooter. A knockdown 40%+ guy consistently slotting directly into Osmans minutes is the dream, plus a guy like Sexton slotting into all the Rondo/Goodwin minutes plus giving Garland and LeVert another weapon/shooter/scorer and a guy who can help them get tests at the right time.
I actually think the Cavs once healthy next year are on the precipice of building something pretty special, they just really need to find one elite shooter, and hope that Okoro becomes PJ tucker from the corners which..his corner 3 looks good is all I’m sayin…and we know Mobleys going to be a passable shooter too it’s just a matter of when.
But there are a lot of good signs to point to which mean a lot considering the basic efficiency stats have gotten off to a sour start. He’s played 9 games entering a team mid season and half half been on a minutes restriction with his foot not 100% as he works to regain his burst and quick plant ability. LeVert is not a guy who skips and falls over himself or gets blocked.
Anything other than patience with LeVert in my mind is pointlessly reactionary.
