Nets Officially Acquire Rookie Caris LeVert From Indiana
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Nets' draft-day trade with the Indiana Pacers became official Thursday.
In the June 23 trade, Brooklyn sent power forward Thaddeus Young to Indiana in exchange for the Pacers' first-round pick (20th overall) and a future second-round selection.
Drafting on the Nets' behalf because the swap had not yet been approved by the NBA, Indiana picked Michigan shooting guard Caris LeVert.
The 6-foot-7 LeVert averaged 16.5 points and 4.9 assists per game last season for the Wolverines. He, however, had each of his last two seasons cut short by injuries to his left foot. LeVert has had three surgeries the last two years, including one in March at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
Welcome to Brooklyn @CarisLeVert! #NetsNation pic.twitter.com/7JycW0LYJR
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 7, 2016
"We're excited about LeVert," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Think he can be a real good player in this league. High character guy."
The scouting report on LeVert from CBSSports.com says:
Strengths: Offensively, there's really quite little that LeVert can't have success doing. He's a great ball-handler, shoots the ball at a high level, passes well, and has the kind of size NBA teams are looking for.
Weaknesses: The big one is on injuries. Foot and leg injuries have placed his draft stock in flux, as NBA teams wonder if they can rely on him staying healthy long-term. It's taken what would have likely been a first round pick and made it questionable as to whether he'll be picked at all.
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