With Caris LeVert replacing Victor Oladipo, how does the Indiana Pacers’ lineup change
In all honesty, I don’t see much changing in terms of the Indiana Pacers and the lineup, aside from Victor Oladipo swapping for Caris LeVert. Both guys play the same position and are capable of scoring at a high rate. LeVert scored 43 points in a game this season and has shown his ability to get big buckets when he needs them.
Oladipo was a pivotal part of Indiana’s roster this season, for good reason, but LeVert can easily replace his minutes in terms of volume and production. Oladipo was traded as a result of the James Harden trade to the Nets, leaving the Pacers with a quality young player to replace him. The Pacers might suffer a bit on the defensive end of the floor but the addition of LeVert opens things up on the offensive end for sure.
Victor and Malcolm Brogdon were a nice pairing in the backcourt but both loved to play as primary ball-handlers. LeVert can take more of a back seat and allow the offense to run through Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon while adding a threat from the perimeter. LeVert is averaging 18.5 points per game on .435/.349/.765 shooting splits.
LeVert has also made strides as a passer and creator, upping his assists from 4.4 per game last season to 6.0 so far in 2020-21. His turnovers have gone down from 2.6 to 2.2 per game in that same span, so his ability to take care of the ball has improved over time.
I would imagine LeVert slides into the starting lineup as the two-guard while saving some minutes for Jeremy Lamb when healthy. At only 27.8 minutes per game, his usage has been much lower than what we have seen from Oladipo this season.
If LeVert were to play additional minutes for Indiana, his per 36 numbers provide hope for this team. He is posting 23.9 points and 7.8 assists per 36 minutes, which would be near the top of this roster right now. The future is bright for the blue and gold.