The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a massive trade when they acquired NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. Already a team on the rise, Mitchell will make the Cavaliers that much more dangerous as he upgrades some of their weaknesses.
At times last season, Darius Garland was the only source of offense for the team. That will no longer be the case as he and Mitchell can alternate running the offense and J.B. Bickerstaff can stagger their minutes so he has one go-to All-Star scorer on the court at all times.
Fellow All-Star Jarrett Allen and the Rookie of the Year runner-up Evan Mobley provide Cleveland with two more building blocks, making a very strong foundation. But, as with any trade that is completed, numerous players and their roles will be impacted.
The one player who will arguably have to adjust the most is Caris LeVert. LeVert was acquired from the Indiana Pacers at the trade deadline in exchange for Ricky Rubio and a first-round pick. He and Garland developed good chemistry together, but his role is now in question.
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Coming into the offseason he was penciled into a 30+ minute role as the starting shooting guard as the No. 2 option. Now, he may be asked to be the starting small forward, whose role will be focused more on defense with a diminished role offensively.
Or, he could be deployed as the team’s super sixth man off the bench, filling different roles on any given night with his versatility. Off the bench, LeVert would be relied upon as the go-to scorer and initiator of the offense.
If he struggles to adapt to the roles or Cleveland believes they can find a better fit, he represents their best trade chip to upgrade the roster with.
Where could he end up? Here are three potential trade destinations for LeVert.