CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Prior to Sunday evening’s game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Caris LeVert had to change locker rooms.
The Cavaliers and Pacers are close to finalizing a trade to send LeVert along with a 2022 second-round pick to Cleveland from the Pacers for Ricky Rubio’s expiring contract, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick plus a 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported the trade and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle confirmed the trade was being finalized between the two teams.
“Cleveland is in a great position, and adding a guy like Caris LeVert very well could push them to the top,” Carlisle said. ”Caris has been a tremendous young man to work with here.
"He’s a very special person and a very special player. He’s a first-class human being and a first-class pro and a tremendous player. I’m going to miss him.”
The Cavaliers, now 33-21 and third in the Eastern Conference, were expected to be players leading up to the trade deadline due to the loss of Rubio as well as Collin Sexton for the season.
“Knowing Koby [Altman] and the conversations, we’ve always been pretty aggressive around the trade deadline,” Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said prior to news of the trade breaking. “I don’t think we’re a perfect team by any means so any additions or upgrades I think will be important. But the important thing is, we can’t do things that are going to disrupt chemistry with his group.
“That’s what we found early on, and we have to be really cautious about additions and subtractions that may interfere with that chemistry.”
LeVert, who has one more year remaining on his contract for next year and is making $17.5 million this season, has averaged 18.7 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 39 games for the Pacers this season.
“He can help put the ball in the hole,” Cavs guard Rajon Rondo said following their 98-85 comeback victory over the Pacers. “He can erupt for 40 or 50 a night.”
The deal reunites LeVert with his former Brooklyn Nets teammate Jarrett Allen. Both players were involved in the three-team deal that sent James Harden from Houston to the Nets, LeVert to the Rockets and Allen to the Cavs.
Rubio, who was lost for the season due to a torn left ACL in late December, is being paid $17.8 million this season but his contract is expiring, and the trade allows the Pacers to clear significant money off their books.
The addition of LeVert accomplishes Bickerstaff’s goal of not affecting chemistry while upgrading the backcourt.
“We’re not in the position we’re in where we’re buyers at this point if it wasn’t for our chemistry,” Bickerstaff said. “We won’t do anything that will disrupt that for sure.
“Our guys in that locker room are extremely competitive so we need to make sure that whatever the decision we make is a decision that’s really going to give us a leap.”
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday. It remains to be seen if Altman is done.
“I love this group of dudes,” Bickerstaff said. “And if this is what we’re going to war with, I trust to go to war with them every night.”
LeVert is expected to elevate Cleveland’s chances to compete for the conference come playoff time.
“Guys understand this is a really good team and don't take this opportunity for granted,” Rondo, a two-time NBA champion, said. “We've got a chance to do something special.”