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The Indiana Pacers traded guard Caris LeVert to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ricky Rubio, a lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick and two second-round picks, with one of those being Houston’s 2022 second-round selection. The other second-round pick will convey in 2027.
Full trade: Indiana sends Caris LeVert and a 2022 second-round pick via Miami to Cleveland for Ricky Rubio, lottery-protected 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick via Houston and a 2027 second-round pick via Utah, per sources.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 6, 2022
Pacers: A
The Pacers were actively shopping LeVert for a long time, and got almost exactly what they wanted as a rebuilding team. Rubio’s expiring contract creates some cap space, while the first-round pick will convey this season given Cleveland’s standing. Houston’s second-round pick will be in the low 30s, which makes it essentially as good as a late first-rounder. Indiana got a lot for a player it was already out on.
Cavaliers: A
This is also a home run for the Cavaliers, who had lost Rubio and Collin Sexton for the season. LeVert gives them a secondary ball-handler alongside Darius Garland, but his primary objective will be scoring the ball. The guard is averaging 20.9 points per game since the calendar turned to 2022, and Cleveland can use more firepower on the perimeter. The draft compensation is about right for a player of LeVert’s caliber, although there have been some injury concerns surrounding the guard this season.