Report: Caris LeVert Traded to Cavaliers from Pacers for Ricky Rubio, Draft Picks

The Indiana Pacers are trading shooting guard Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Sunday.

Wojnarowski noted the Cavaliers will send veteran point guard Ricky Rubio as well as a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick and two second-round picks to Indiana:

LeVert is owed $17.5 million this season and $18.8 million next year, per Spotrac.

The deal marks the second time LeVert has been traded in two seasons. The Pacers acquired him from the Brooklyn Nets in January 2021 as part of the four-team deal that sent James Harden from the Houston Rockets to Brooklyn.

It's also the second time Indiana has parted ways with the 27-year-old. The Pacers drafted him 20th overall in 2016 but traded him to the Nets two weeks later.

LeVert had seen his production and usage dip earlier this season, but he got back into a groove as the year progressed. Through 39 games, he's averaging 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 31.1 minutes. Those numbers are down from the 20.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 32.9 minutes he averaged in 35 games with Indiana last year.

But LeVert put together a stretch of 20-plus points in seven out of eight games from Dec. 23 to Jan. 19, which included a regular-season franchise-record 22 points in the fourth quarter and 30 points overall to lead Indiana to a surprising win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

LeVert has dealt with multiple ailments throughout his six-year career. After he was traded to the Pacers last season, an MRI revealed a small mass on his left kidney, which was confirmed to be renal cell carcinoma. 

The Michigan product was sidelined with a thumb injury during the 2019-20 season and suffered a dislocation of his right foot the year before that.

This deal should not come as a surprise. Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor reported on Jan. 30 that LeVert was "at the top" of the Cavaliers' wish list of players pursued before the trade deadline.

The addition of LeVert provides Cleveland with a veteran in its backcourt alongside third-year point guard Darius Garland and helps fill a hole left by Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, who are both out for the season with injuries. It also reunites LeVert with center Jarrett Allen, as the two of them were teammates with the Nets.

Garland is in the midst of a career year with averages of 19.8 points and 8.2 assists. The third-year guard has taken the reins of the team in Sexton's absence and was selected to his first All-Star Game. Pairing him with LeVert gives Garland an experienced running mate who can play on or off the ball.

Cleveland is one of the top defensive teams in the league, ranking first with opponents averaging 102.4 points. LeVert has never been known for his play on that end, as his defensive rating has hovered around 110 throughout his career and is up to 114.7 this season, per StatMuse. He will have to buy into the team's defensive philosophy if he wants to stay on the floor.

The Cavaliers hope LeVert can return to the form that saw him contribute consistently in multiple statistical categories. If he can remain healthy, he will be a key part of Cleveland potentially earning its first trip to the postseason since the 2017-18 season.