An untimely injury prevented Caris LeVert from providing the help the Cavaliers needed for their injured backcourt, but he hopes to be part of the organization for many years to come, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. LeVert, who was acquired from the Pacers at the trade deadline, missed nearly a month with a sprained foot he suffered after just four games with his new team. He wound up playing 19 games for the Cavs and wants to be part of the long-term future in Cleveland.
“This is where I want to be,” said LeVert, who will be eligible for an extension this summer. “They know that. The front office knows that. My teammates know that. I don’t know what’s going to happen with that contract extension, but I know where my heart is, I know where I want to be. We’ll see what happens going forward.”
After being traded twice during his six years in the NBA, LeVert likes the idea of stability. At 27, he fits in well with the rest of the Cavaliers’ young roster, although the team faces a decision on whether there’s room for both him and free agent guard Collin Sexton. The front office had been hoping to see how LeVert fits alongside Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen, but injuries kept that group from playing together until the final game of the Cavs’ season.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- DeMar DeRozan had several options in free agency, but he picked the Bulls because he wanted to help rebuild a franchise that had fallen on hard times, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. DeRozan posted a career-best scoring season and led the Bulls back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. “I’m big on the underdog mentality. A lot of people run from those challenges. Me, I really want to see what I’m made of in those moments. You leave your own mark that way. I’m always big on that,” DeRozan said. “I want to go somewhere and leave my mark or start something that hasn’t been done. To me, that’s more honorable. You started it and took on the challenge.”
- Bulls guard Zach LaVine is finally in the playoffs after seven years of playing for losing teams, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. LaVine hopes the postseason will be a regular occurrence after a chaotic start to his NBA career. “It was very mind-opening to me when I got here — this guy’s had six different coaches,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s played on different teams. And he hasn’t necessarily been a part of a lot of success. Zach’s has always wanted to win. It’s always been important to him. I’m happy for him because you see the work he puts in.”
- Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscriber link) looks at three reasons why the Bucks can repeat as NBA champions and three reasons that they might not.
Huh..DDR talking about the Bulls like there wasn’t anybody leading anything, doing anything of note. That’s some mad shade thrown at LaVine. He just came in and lead a bunch of hopeless vagrants to becoming a winner. Not disputing if he’s wrong or right about that, it’s just quite the slap to LaVine being worthy of any podium as a team star.
I think you’re being a bit of a drama llama
About Allen, he didn’t play with that group the final game of the regular season as he missed the final few weeks. Unless you mean the second play-in game, which technically isn’t the regular season. It’s the postseason, just not the playoffs. It’s new, so there should be consensus gathered sooner than later. Is the play-in called regular season around here or elsewhere?
It’s called the play in. Stop over thinking
@Danger Bone Commentors like you are very interesting. You NEVER have an original post or thought. You just piggy back and counter what other people say. I guess you feel it is easier to draw likes from sarcasm and contention rather than posting something more thought provoking. Not trying to insult you. I just notice that trend if certain posters online and became curious to what motivates that.
For example Sillivan mostly always creates an original post. People insult his takes but to be honest I respect his post waaaaay more than yours because he is being original you just try to contend what others are saying all the time and most times are being sarcastic about it.
Keep the talent and make it work. Levert or Sexton would be a great 6th man and get plenty of minutes.
Levert can’t demand max money and needs to be reasonable.
LeVert and Garland is a serious young backcourt. I would definitely invest in them. Sexton can get you good value back in a trade. I still believe in Okoro. He is still very young. He has potential to be an all star imo. Cavs made a big leap this yr. But Cavs gm brought them back to reality. Becoming a contender doesn’t happen overnight or in a yr. They have talent but more important. I think they have the right players and pieces. Have to build and support that.
@Knicks
This much is clear. Garland is prone to reoccurring back issues. He missed about 35 games the last 2 years largely because of that. Also, the Cavs need to have another guard that can facilitate the offense when needed and more importantly can go one on one and get you a bucket or two when needed. Levert is good but Sexton has greatness in him when it comes to scoring. I saw times where Garland had to throw up 20 or more shots in a game and the record was 7-14. The Cavs need to have another ball handler and shot creator. You talk of sending Sexton away and “getting good value” as if he were a superfluous redundant talent on a stacked and loaded team. It’s not. Rich Paul reps both
Sexton and Garland. if they can get a fair deal on Sexton then I would absolutely keep him. lets hope for a healthy team next year
Sexton is offense on a bad team. Big freaking deal. Garland has done that on a good offensive team. We already know you don’t get the difference. I don’t want Sexton on this TEAM. Cause he is about his stats. You got that right. I build teams not egos. Like I said he can get you good value for ThIS TEAM.
Garland — 35.7 mins, 8.6 ast, 21.7 pts
You don’t need or want Sexton. Cause he will never accept being the third guard. I talk cause I know. Stats don’t confuse me.
@Knick
The only difference between THIS team and LAST year’s team is Mobley.I don’t know why you think you know anything. Sexton’s job is to SCORE. He had to shoulder the scoring load for the most part. You make comments about him as if you’re in the locker room with them. MOST of the staff have spoken glowingly about him the last couple of years. Even Love who wasn’t a fan early on. Never have I heard is that he’s all about his numbers. Stop talking out your arse. You’re a nobody who knows as much as any other poster hear. The only negative talk I’ve heard comes from players left over from the LBJ era who were told would be committed to win and felt a certain- kinda-way because they were playing for their next contract and wanted the ball more. Think JR Smith, Tristan, Rodney Hood and Jordan Clarkston. That I know first hand by an agent I know. Sexton was always a score first guard. If the Cavs felt otherwise then they wouldn’t have drafted Garland the very next year who’s a PASS first guard. Now Sexton is playing his best position as a SG even tho he had a career high 4.4 assists per game. This team NEEDS another ball handler that can score and Sexton IS that guy. I think Levert is a good complement to both guards but Sexton has a higher ceiling offensively.
“I build teams not egos (said in a very whiny voice). PLEASE….PLEAAAASE get over yourself. Continue to live vicariously thru your NBA2K video game. Fantasy land suits you best. Cavs can NOT attract star FA. Trading for another score would cost us pieces we likely don’t want to give up. I’m so proud of this team but it’s obvious to me that Garland felt the need to score more during the ATL series when he was a cold 9 for 27 and Okoro, Love, Rondo and Levert had a collective 25 points. Having a guy that can give you 24 ppg on better than 45+/37+/80+ shooting that can do it at the rim, midrange and 3pt line IN YOUR OWN SYSTEM is something the Cavs can’t and shouldn’t at least give a chance. He’s had 4 different coaches in his first 3 years. You don’t bail on a kid like him whom Avery Johnson and all other “talking heads” had said is a good character guy. Cleveland’s best chance attract high end talent is thru the draft and unless his ask is something ridiculous then he should be kept. Now Rich Paul just signed Sexton and Garland has been his client since drafted. We’ll see what the ask is soon. But Cavs can’t afford to mess this up. oh yeah. shut up.
“Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel looks at three reasons why the Bucks can repeat as NBA champions and three reasons that they might not.”
That is a subscriber-only link. Either don’t post those, or at least report what some of the content was. The majority of the fans here on Hoops Rumors aren’t subscribers of the Journal-Sentinel or other subscriber-only city media sites.
Or you could just stop being cheap.
Yes, because everyone knows that not paying a for a city-based newspaper/website subscription (presumably not corresponding to the commenter’s hometown) to read a single NBA article is being cheap
Or just say it’s a subscriber-only link, which is what would usually be done. Probably just an oversight here. It’s not the end of the world.