Since the beginning of the 2015-16 season, this traditional Eastern powerhouse has stopped in the first round for five consecutive seasons, and last season was directly missed from the playoffs, and most of the season's schedule has passed, the Pacers have only won 19 wins and almost announced that they did not qualify for the playoffs in advance, which is completely unacceptable to management.
After all, with All-Star-level Sabonis Jr., Blocker Turner, backcourt doubles LeVert and Brogdon and super rookie Duarte, plus champions back in the offseason, Rick Carlisle, the Pacers' original goal this season is not just to return to the playoffs. However, injuries and other factors made everything a bubble, and the team management made up its mind to start over, and the Pacers supermarket opened.
As the deal deadline approached, the first order from the supermarket finally came: the Cleveland Cavaliers took Ricky Rubio with season reimbursement, 1 lotto-protected 2022 first-round pick, 1 2022 second-round pick from the Rockets and 1 2027 second-round pick from the Jazz From the Indiana Pacers, the deal took away Carris Le Vere and one 2022 second-round pick from the Heat.
That is to say, the two teams are equivalent to 1 second round of signing in 2022, and the Cavaliers use the elderly golden boy reimbursed for one season plus 1 first round and 1 second round to exchange for a super backcourt player who can average 18.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game this season. Considering that Rubio has no possibility of playing this season, even after recovering from a major injury with a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee, the former Nets boss only sells 1 first round + 1 round? This is no longer a matter of knights making a lot of money, this can be regarded as robbery.
The 27-year-old, 1.98-meter-tall LeVert is a fragrant bounty in the league, and when the news of the opening of the Pacers supermarket was released, many teams became interested in him. It turned out that Le Vere sold it at this price in the year of the fight, which was also quite surprising. For LeVert himself, the deal ecstatic, as an Ohio native, who could refuse the temptation to play for his hometown team? Second, the competitiveness shown by the Cavaliers this season is enough to impress LeVert, and for a player like him who has already received a big contract, it is time to join a championship-level team and launch a blow to the coveted championship ring.
For the Cavaliers, Garland's progress this season with the help of Ricky Rubio has been a leap forward, and entering the All-Star bench is the best reward for the 22-year-old young guard. But the unexpected injuries of Rubio and Syxton disrupted the Cavaliers' original deployment, especially when Garland repeatedly chose to be absent due to back injuries, making the Cavaliers management realize that if they want to seize the moment, it is urgent to strengthen the outside line.
With Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Laurie Markkanen in the starting lineup, and Kevin Love and Chedi Osman on the bench, the Cleveland Cavaliers have the highest altitude in the league, and all they need to do is stabilize the configuration of the outside line and deepen the rotation depth on the guard line. Therefore, Le Vere is a very ideal choice, he can not only form a considerable attacking outside line with Garland, but also when he leads the rotation alone, he can maximize his ability to hold the ball and fight chaotically.
The far-reaching effects of the deal are likely to be seen in the future, with the Cavaliers expected to be the biggest spoiler in the east. Judging from the current rankings, the Cavaliers are likely to play Philadelphia or bucks in the first round. For these two teams that are proud of their inner line, the Cavaliers will let their advantage be wiped out, and this can be seen in the regular season meeting. Now that the arrival of Le Vere will further change the balance of power, this year's Cleveland Cavaliers should not be underestimated!