Brooklyn Nets: 2017-18 player grades for Caris LeVert
By Alec Liebsch
Strengths
LeVert is what you might call a jack-of-all-trades player. He can run the offense, defend 1-4 effectively, take over as a scorer, and do everything in between. Versatility is his calling card, which was quite helpful on a team loaded with specialists.
On any given night, LeVert could go from point-forward to point-scorer. His ability to fill almost any role is integral to the Nets’ success going forward.
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As an advocate of position-less basketball, I become enamored with players who can switch into various roles on any given night. LeVert is the epitome of such a player, which allows coach Kenny Atkinson to deploy multiple ball-handlers.
For guys like D’Angelo Russell, who are also useful off-ball, that’s quite helpful. LeVert has the ability to be a cog in an egalitarian offense, which is Atkinson’s dream.
Not only is this helpful gameplay-wise, but lineup-wise as well. Depending on the opponent, LeVert can slide to any of the four perimeter positions, and defend whoever the Nets need him to. He can play next to two point guards one night, and three wings as the nominal “1” the next. This is bolstered by his 22.5 percent usage rate in 2017-18; when he’s on the court, he is used appropriately.
Instead of outlining the plethora of things LeVert can do, it’s more imperative to ask what he can’t do.