Cavaliers Trade Rumors: Caris LeVert Targeted Ahead of Thursday's Deadline
The surprising Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly have their eye on Indiana Pacers shooting guard Caris LeVert ahead of the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline.
According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the Cavs are "trying to acquire" LeVert, who will be in Cleveland for Sunday's game between the Cavaliers and Pacers.
Cleveland figures to be a buyer at the deadline, as it has exceeded expectations with a 32-21 record, which is good for third in the Eastern Conference entering play Saturday.
The 27-year-old LeVert is in the midst of his first full season with the Pacers, and he has been highly productive.
In 39 games, LeVert is averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 three-pointers made per contest while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 32.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The one knock on LeVert has been durability, as he has never played in more than 71 games in a single season and has not featured in more than 47 games in a season since that high-water mark.
Those games came last season, which LeVert split between the Brooklyn Nets and Pacers. A mass was found on his kidney as part of a physical examination after he was dealt to Indiana as part of a four-team trade, and while it caused him to miss time, the mass was removed and he eventually returned at full strength.
On a per-game basis, the 2020-21 season was the best of LeVert's career, as he averaged career highs across the board with 20.2 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 three-pointers made and 1.4 steals.
LeVert is signed through the 2022-23 season, meaning he wouldn't be a rental, which would likely make him even more appealing to a Cavs team on the rise.
While Cleveland is near the top of the East, Indiana has struggled mightily this season, as it is 13th in the conference at 19-35.
Given the Pacers' issues, Shams Charania and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic reported in December that they were "moving toward a rebuild" and "receptive" to trade offers for several players, including LeVert.
The Cavaliers boast a highly talented core anchored by first-time All-Star guard Darius Garland, an All-Star snub in center Jarrett Allen and a Rookie of the Year candidate in center Evan Mobley.
One obvious area of need, however, is backcourt depth since Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio are both out for the season due to injury.
LeVert would help immensely in that regard, and he would go from a bottom-dwelling team to a potential championship contender in the process.
