Subscribe
Follow Us
As someone who believes his availability is his best ability, Cleveland Cavaliers sixth man Caris LeVert has had a rough go of it lately. LeVert missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury when the Cavs hosted the Atlanta Hawks. The injury is in the same knee that forced him to miss the end of the series against the Boston Celtics and took most of the off-season to heal fully. However, in an update from Cleveland head coach Kenny Atkinson, LeVert is ramping up activity on the court, which could mean he will be available to return soon.
“I watched him work out today. He went hard today, whatever that means,” Atkinson said. “I don’t want to give a date or a time, but it seems like he’s ramping up pretty quickly here. I would assume he’s ready within the next week.”
Considering LeVert is dealing with a knee injury that plagued him last year, it's fair to wonder if the guard will ever be 100% on the floor this year. When asked, Atkinson was non-committal about whether it would be a long-term concern. So, for now, it'll be worth keeping tabs on LeVert when he returns to the floor.
“I do know, like a lot of NBA players, he’s got nicks,” Atkinson said. “He’s a start-and-stop kind of player, like, decelerate, hard cutter, he’s definitely hard on his body. But I don’t anticipate it being a huge thing. I think it’s a little more wear and tear than, ‘Oh man, we got to worry about this thing long term.'”
When could Caris LeVert return to the floor for the Cavs?
On the season, LeVert has averaged 11.8 points on 53.4% shooting from the field and 4.5 assists in 24 minutes per game. Sure, LeVert’s absence has been somewhat overshadowed by Ty Jerome's red-hot start to the year. However, Cleveland has missed their stud sixth man in their four games without him.
That said, time will tell how long the Cavs can keep this up without LeVert. He's one of their best playmakers and scoring threats off the bench and thrived under Atkinson's new offensive system. However, Cleveland is missing not just LeVert's offense but also how he's stepped up on defense this season.
“He's improved so much defensively. I tell him every day,” said Atkinson.
“In Brooklyn, he was a young pup trying to figure it out. He's really turned into a heck of a defensive player. He's gotten so much stronger, obviously, but just his IQ and his activity – really, really improved defensive player.”
LeVert leads the Cavs in individual defensive rating, allowing 106.5 points per 100 possessions while on the floor. Combine that with an offensive rating that's second-best in the NBA, and LeVert is helping Cleveland outscore opponents by 21.2 points per 100 possessions when on the floor. The numbers speak for themselves, and getting LeVert back would be a massive boost for the Cavs. The next chance will be when Cleveland hits the road to take on the Hawks in Atlanta. If not, it won't happen until the Cavs are home against the Celtics.
