The Detroit Pistons added Caris LeVert to give them scoring punch off the bench, but they will quickly regret the signing. The departures of Malik Beasley, Dennis Schroder, and Tim Hardaway Jr. left a void. Detroit made a massive leap behind the offensive upgrade these three helped provide, but LeVert won’t be such a seamless fit in the Motor City.
The Pistons lost a ton of shooting, and LeVert won’t make it up. He took 4.4 3-point attempts per game last season and has never taken more than 5.5 a night over an entire season. The 6’6 wing is a career 34.5 percent 3-point shooter and is inconsistent. Detroit desperately needs floor spacers around Cade Cunningham, and LeVert is a question mark.
The Pistons should know what they are getting. The 30-year-old played under head coach JB Bickerstaff in Cleveland for two and a half seasons. LeVert credits him with improving his defense, but history suggests this move will backfire on Detroit.
Pistons will quickly regret the Caris LeVert signing
LeVert has played for four different teams in the last five years and was traded three times. Adding a 15-point-per-game scorer capable of handling the ball and getting buckets seems exciting, but LeVert’s inefficiency and defensive issues have caused him to bounce around.
The Pistons lost 38.1 points per game with the departures of Beasley, THJ, and Schroder. Duncan Robinson will serve as the elite shooter, and Detroit hopes Jade Ivey leaps into the All-Star conversation. The franchise needed someone to put the ball in the bucket in their second unit, and LeVert was their best available option.
The Hawks had interest in bringing him back, but opted to sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker. It left him open to land in Detroit on a two-year $28 million contract. The Pistons need steady production, but will get a streaky player who doesn’t space the floor. That could quickly become a problem as the Pistons have several questionable shooters in their rotation.
Ultimately, Detroit will be looking to move on before the deadline, just like the Cavaliers, Nets, and Pacers did. LeVert’s inefficiency and inconsistency will be maddening on a team hoping to make a deep playoff run. The Pistons likely try to flip him for a shooter or to fill a need. LeVert’s contract may be more valuable than his on-court production as Detroit chases an upgrade.
The Detroit Pistons will regret signing Caris LeVert as his shooting and defensive concerns mount. This is no longer a rebuilding team. The Pistons believe they can make a deep run in the wide-open Eastern Conference and will need an upgrade over LeVert. The front office should have seen this coming. Sadly, history will repeat itself for the talented wing.