2023 NBA Free Agency - Cavs looking to offer Caris LeVert over $15 million per year
The Cleveland Cavaliers are prioritizing re-signing unrestricted free agent wing Caris LeVert ahead of 2023 NBA free agency, according to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor.
LeVert has played 93 games for the Cavs since being acquired from the Indiana Pacers last year. The 28-year-old’s offensive production has taken a sizeable hit since joining the team.
However, LeVert has still been one of the Cavs’ most reliable wing players. According to Fedor, this, and the fact that the Cavs gave up a first-round pick to acquire him, have made LeVert indispensable to Cleveland:
“The Cavs give up a first-round pick to acquire him from Indiana last season. He is a mostly-reliable component of their every-night rotation, logging 30.2 minutes and becoming a mainstay on the wing.
"He has built close relationships with teammates. And has a familiarity with Cleveland’s system and an understanding of his role — finally,” Fedor said.
He added that LeVert is eligible for a four-year, $101 million contract extension before Friday. However, he said that Cleveland would prefer to sign him to a deal in the $15 million to $18 million a year range in free agency.
This would ensure that the Cavs have more leeway to sign a couple of their other free-agency targets as well:
“Despite being eligible for a four-year, $101 million extension prior to Friday, it’s unlikely the Cavs would pay that much.
“So, is there a financial compromise? Sources say the Cavs are planning to offer LeVert a contract somewhere in the range of $15-18 million annually — a deal that would keep him out of the midlevel market but not harm the team’s expected pursuit of outside help as well.
"The preference is to re-sign LeVert and acquire a free agent or two with the MLE.”
Cavaliers looking at offering Caris LeVert $15-$18 million annually (@cwmwrites) fearthesword.com/2023/6/28/2377… https://t.co/EHXN2xcqZt
LeVert averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 3-pointers per game on 43.1% shooting over 74 games this past season. His 12.1 PPG is tied for the second-lowest scoring mark of his seven-year career.
So, many would perhaps agree that a deal in the $15 million to $18 million a year range is fair given his recent production.
Caris LeVert on a possible return to Cleveland
As for Caris LeVert’s preference while entering free agency, he has already made it known that he would prefer to stay in Cleveland. However, he acknowledged that the NBA is a business so nothing is guaranteed:
“That’s something I definitely want to do,” LeVert said on April 27.
“I definitely want to be a part of this culture, be a part of this team. This is a super special group and I definitely want to be a part of that. But it’s a business, so we’ll see what happens this summer. I would love to come back. They know how I feel about coming back.”
Chris Fedor added that LeVert’s free agency decision will also go beyond money as he will prioritize winning:
“Sources say LeVert’s decision will go beyond money. As the season progressed, he repeatedly spoke about a burning desire to get back to the playoffs — and Cleveland gave him that platform".
The Cavs are coming off a successful season in which they won 51 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Meanwhile, their entire core is under the age of 30 and appears to be on an upward trajectory.
As Fedor noted, every other team that can offer LeVert a similar offer or better than Cleveland’s offer missed the playoffs this past season.
“The Indiana Pacers, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz all have projectable cap space north of the midlevel exception… None of the seven cap-space teams made the playoffs last season,” Fedor said.
So all things considered, it’s looking very likely that LeVert will be sticking around in Cleveland for the foreseeable future.
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