It’s safe to say that the Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t expect their season to end the way it did so well in the regular season. The New York Knicks’ playing test highlighted some weaknesses for Cleveland. One of those was a defensive game plan that forced any perimeter player other than Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland to hit shots at the right time. This included players such as Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman, and Caris LeVert.
While Okoro and Usman did not have true playoff experience as major leaguers prior to this postseason, LeVert did for several years with the Brooklyn Nets. However, the Cavaliers have the least amount of control over LeVert, who is set to enter unrestricted free agency this summer.
Can Levert make it to the Cavaliers?
There is definitely a place for Levert with the Cavaliers. The team was sorely lacking in bench production in the postseason, which is where it was the best form of support most of the year. If he were to stay in Cleveland, the sixth man role would be the perfect role for LeVert.
How much is Levert worth?
This season, LeVert earned $18.8 million in team salaries. Entering free agency at 28 years old, there will likely be several more seasons where he can contribute at a high level.
The downside for Cleveland is that there is a good chance he will be looking for a higher annual salary for his next contract. Given the way this season turned out for the Cavaliers and the slew of teams that will be bidding for him this summer, it’s reasonable that he wouldn’t wait for Cleveland if they decided to make their first offer.
So do they bring Levert back?
The light at the end of the tunnel for the Cavaliers is that this team hasn’t had a lot of experience in the big playoff moments. Aside from Donovan Mitchell, no one else in the core of this team has made it past the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Pushing LeVert more than his previous bid might seem audacious. However, the team is still young and has shown over the past several seasons that it can catch up with the best that the league has to offer.
The safe move would be to make an offer for Levert which he cannot refuse, as he remains the best option for them in the small forward position. Although the Cavaliers should try to stay on high alert this summer, they may need to work quickly to ensure they don’t go out of the season empty-handed.