Pacers are in good hands with Caris LeVert
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The future may be a little uncertain for the Indiana Pacers. Your guess is as good as mine in terms of how this roster will look next season. But when it comes to Caris LeVert, there’s nothing to discuss. LeVert will be a Pacer, and he will flourish in that uniform for (hopefully) years to come.
Pacers President Kevin Pritchard didn’t trade Victor Oladipo, and go through with the uncertainties of that deal to not see this thing through. He views LeVert as a long-term piece, and at 26 years old, you should too.
LeVert has been getting better every month in a Pacers uniform:
March: 14.9 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 reb.
April: 22.1 points, 4.8 assists, 4.1 reb
May: 26.0 points, 7.0 assists, 5.4 reb,
The Pacers are 10-6 when he scores 20+ points, and he’s been worth 1.7 win shares in his 33 games this season. His usage rate has actually been lower than the previous two seasons with Brooklyn, and he’s been putting up big numbers despite his own admission of “My 3-point shot is broke.”
This chart from “Crafted NBA” isn’t fully up to date, but it shows some of what LeVert has done best in his NBA career. He’s in the 92 percentile in “Creation”, 94 percentile in “Offensive Load”, and in the 84 percentile in “Passer Rating.”
LeVert has only played in 9 career playoff games, but has averaged 20.7 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.2 rebounds in those games, and actually has a higher PER than his regular season career in that small sample size. He’s already filled up the highlight reel with big shots for the Pacers, and has said on multiple occasions: “I live for those moments.” LeVert just scored seven straight points down the stretch in the recent win over Philadelphia.
It should also be noted: His career numbers are a little skewed because of his time coming off the bench.
As a starter in 2019= 22.1 points, 5.2 asssists, 4.9 reb.
As a starter this season= 21.6 points, 5.1 assists, 4.8 rebounds.
The question becomes: Is he good enough to build around, or is he better served being one piece to a larger puzzle? The good news is: He’s locked up for the next two years, and is a good fit regardless of that answer.
Over the years, the Pacers have been at their best when they’ve played good defense, and had a full-team effort on offense. Even in Oladipo and PG’s prime years here, Indy was typically better when those guys weren’t a one-man show. This has clearly been a down year overall, but the Pacers are still 12-4 when three players score 20+ points in a game. They’re also a respectable 20-15 when at least two players score 20+. For the Pacers to get back to where they want to go, this is the formula: A balanced offensive attack throughout the game, followed by one or two players having the ability to take over the game in the closing minutes. Enter Caris LeVert, with the help of TJ Warren.
More fun with LeVert’s numbers:
-LeVert is 17th in the NBA in drives to the basket per game.
-Teammate Domantas Sabonis has averaged one more assist per game, and a full 2% better shooting percentage when playing with LeVert.
-The Pacers are plus +52 with LeVert on the court in the month of May.
LeVert may never reach 2018 Oladipo production, but neither will Victor Oladipo. LeVert is a younger, taller version of Vic, and as previously stated, is under contract for a bit. I personally think there’s still another level in LeVert’s game. And if that’s true, Indy has a good one for years to come.
