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2025 Free Agents - Caris LeVert

LeVert has legitimate ability to create off-the-dribble. He has good change of pace, and can get to the rim or create space for midrange jumpers. However, he has really struggled to be efficient. He hasn't been above average in eFG% for his position since his rookie year, according to Cleaning the Glass, and his 48% eFG% in '23-'24 was in the 19th percentile for his position. He is only a 34% 3-point shooter for his career, and for the most part hasn't made much progress in his outside shooting, either in terms of efficiency or volume, since he entered the league.  LeVert's inconsistent outside shot makes him a somewhat tough piece to fit next to other ball-handlers. He's best with the ball in his hands, but isn't good enough in that area to be worth letting him be the hub of your offense. He's still a very good secondary creator, and puts up better assist numbers than he gets credit for, so if he can just improve that jumper I think he could become an above-average starter and someone that could be a role player on a great team.  Defensively, LeVert has good size and length for a wing but hasn't become an impact defender. He gets a decent amount of steals, showing anticipation to jump passing lanes, but isn't someone that locks down his man on-ball or is known as a heady off-ball defender. With his role and overall usage declining in recent years behind Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, he has been able to focus more on defense, and has overall been decent enough on that end for the Cavaliers to be a good defensive team with him in the regular rotation. LeVert will be nearly 31 as a free agent in 2025, so we may start to see some regression soon, which may make teams cautious to give him a long-term contract.

Summary

LeVert will be an unrestricted free agent with a $24.9 million cap hold and full Bird Rights, meaning the Cavaliers will have no restrictions on re-signing him. Since the Cavaliers will most likely be operating over the cap, and since his cap hold exceeds his likely starting salary, his cap hold is not really relevant. Depending on how close the Cavaliers are to the luxury tax after free agency, if LeVert is brought back by the Cavaliers on a multi-year contract they could benefit from frontloading his contract, as it could give them additional flexibility in the future. For other teams, if LeVert demands a starting salary of more than the full $14.1 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception, only teams with cap space will be able to sign him, unless a sign-and-trade is worked out. It's possible however that LeVert could be had for the full MLE.

Cap Considerations

Kelly Oubre (1+1 years, $16 million, 2024) Coby White (3 years, $36 million, 2023) Malik Monk (3+1 years, $78 million 2024)

Player/Contract Comparison

Potential Teams: Cavaliers, Pacers, Grizzlies, Jazz, Raptors

Predicted Contract: 2-year, $25 million with the Cavaliers

Last updated: 8/27/2024

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