Caris LeVert had an exciting first season with the Indiana Pacers while proving he can handle a larger role. LeVert set a career-high with 20.7 points per game in his 35 starts for the Pacers and shot right on par with the rest of his career.
Prior to coming to Indiana, LeVert’s previous high for starts in a single season was 31 last season with the Nets. In just 35 games for the Pacers, he set a new high by starting in every game he was available for. The days of him being a bench killer are behind him as he strives for the next step in his NBA career.
Can Caris LeVert become an All-Star?
Immediately returning from the inactive list, LeVert slid into the starting lineup and averaged 32.9 minutes per game as a Pacer last season. His overall shooting numbers were similar to what he experienced in Brooklyn but his three-point shooting really struggled to get going. He finished the season with just a 31.8 percent connection rate from deep.
On the flip side, LeVert improved his free throw shooting numbers to make up for his other shooting woes. He got to the line 4.2 times per game while knocking down 82.2 percent of his attempts, also a career-high.
The Pacers were able to turn to LeVert at times last season and he emerged as the best closer on the team. His ability to pop off for 30+ points was crucial toward the end of the season. While he didn’t quite reach that mark with Indiana, Caris has also gone for 40 or 50+ points throughout his career.
With a new coaching staff set to take over next season, there is a new sense of optimism for a Pacers squad that had a pretty good offensive campaign in 2020-21. Caris LeVert has the chance to become “the guy” in Indiana next to Domantas Sabonis and T.J. Warren and could very well be an All-Star soon.
All-Stars make their name by scoring and bringing highlights to the game, especially in the backcourt. The Pacers witnessed Domantas Sabonis secure an All-Star spot in each of the last two seasons as a star in the frontcourt while also scoring consistently early on. For LeVert, continuing to improve his points will take him to another level.
His scoring numbers have gone up steadily in each of his five seasons. That leads me to believe it can happen again for a guy who just scored almost 21 points per game, including 25.9 points per game over his final 10 games last season.
If he can hover around 23-24 points next season while shooting a little bit better from beyond the arc, there is a real chance for Caris to earn his first All-Star nod. Of course, the Pacers will have to be better as a team but that would inherently be aided by a strong start from Caris and others.
A start that looked something like 23 points, 5.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds that boosted the Pacers to a top-6 team in the East would certainly get him into consideration.
Time will tell just how the Pacers use LeVert next season. The return of Warren could take away from his opportunities as a scorer but adding scoring-minded wings should open things up for the guards and Sabonis.