The Reinvention of Caris LeVert
There's an old saying that old habits die hard. No matter how hard we try, many of us are creatures of habit. With the new year fast approaching, you probably thought to yourself at least once, "screw it, ill buy that gym membership and start getting in better shape," only to give up two weeks in and slip back to mindlessly eating and being fat and comfortable. It takes a level of acceptance and buy-in to break a cycle that perpetuates and stagnates your well-being. In life and in basketball, Caris LeVert had to break the habits that held him back from being the best version of himself as a basketball player.
From his rookie year in Brooklyn to his recent seasons in Cleveland, NBA fans and Media would've described LeVerts shot diet as inefficient at best and destructive at worst. Often settling for a nauseating number of contested pull-up mid-range shots, his career TS% being a less-than-desirable 53% should not be surprising to anyone. These habits were so entrenched into the DNA of his game that former Nets, now Cavs Coach Kenny Atkinson, reflecting back to their time together, admitted on Monday night, "We failed him in Brooklyn with trying to change his shot profile." It's why it was safe to assume that 9 years into his NBA career, nothing was changing him and that this would be the player he would always be. That's what makes this season and his transformation even more remarkable.
Of his 168 field goal attempts on the season, he has only put up six mid-range shots. Yes, six mid-range shots all season! His shot chart compared to the 23-24 season shows the stark contrast in his shot profile.
It's beautiful, isn't it? Caris LeVert's attempts are now exclusively rim attacks or 3-pointers. This change in his shot frequency displays a much more consistent version of him night-to-night. Shooting a blistering 54% from the field and 48% from 3 (both career highs), he is one of the reasons why the Cavs bench packs a ton of punch 27 games into the season. Sure, LeVert's numbers might not be sustainable throughout an 82-game season, but the process is much better. "He's cleaned up his shot profile," Kenny Atkinson said, "He's embraced the catch-and-shoot and his talent as a creator, and he understands what efficiency looks like."
With his future in Cleveland possibly in doubt due to his expiring contract, Caris LeVert is discovering the best version of himself. The once dribble-happy mid-range chucker has embraced a new mindset and role where he's taking all his shots in the flow of the offense. It might've taken the 30-year-old nine seasons to trust the process that Kenny Atkinson tried to instill in him many years ago, but it's better late than never while donning the wine and gold. "It's changing his value," Atkinson said. "His value to our team. His value for future contracts. That's what teams are looking for, and that's what we're looking for."