Insider: In Caris LeVert, Pacers add wing gets it done differently than Victor Oladipo
Caris LeVert is an on-ball player. The 6-6 wing, acquired by the Indiana Pacers from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Victor Oladipo, plays differently, which will lead to adjustments.
Never fear. That's why Nate Bjorkgren is here. The coach isn't going to force square pegs into round holes.
Forget the raw numbers such as points per game (18.5 LeVert vs. 20.0 Oladipo) or 3-point accuracy (35% LeVert vs. 36.2% Oladipo), overall shooting (43.5% LeVert vs. 42.1% Oladipo) or assists (6.0 LeVert vs. 4.2 Oladipo).
They are similar in those regards. How they best achieve those results within an offense, however, is different.
This season, per Synergy Sports:
Pick-and-roll ball handler
LeVert: Used 40.6% of the time this way, by far the most of any action, 0.866 points per possession, 36.9% overall shooting and 42.9% adjusted shooting (points per shot, incorporating 3s)
Oladipo: Used 32.8%, gets 0.783 PPP, shoots 34% and 38% adjusted
LeVert is more effective, which is surprising, but then again not really. When Oladipo was an All-Star in 2017-18 -- before he tore the right quad tendon in his knee -- he took off in this role when he generated 0.927 PPP, shot 46% and 50% adjusted shooting.
Transition
LeVert: 18.4% for 1.0 PPP, 52.9% overall shooting, 60.3 adjusted shooting
Oladipo: 15.3% for 1.286 PPP, 65% overall shooting and 75% adjusted
LeVert hasn't been as strong in this area, even going back to his earlier years. His shooting averages have been lower, but Oladipo is better at finishing even now.
Spot up
LeVert: 13% for 0.774 PPP with 37% overall shooting and 44.4% adjusted shooting.
Oladipo: 11.5% for 1.238 PPP, 45% overall shooting and 60% adjusted
In 2017-18, LeVert created 1.063 PPP, shot 41.5% and 55.2% adjusted, but that appears to be an aberration. Last season, he was 0.863 PPP, shooting 34.7% overall and 45% adjusted.
Isolation
LeVert: Used 12.6%, 0.8 PPP, 37.5% overall shooting, 39.6% adjusted shooting
Oladipo: 5.5%, 1.0 PPP, 44.4% overall shooting, 55.6% adjusted
Fortunately for LeVert, this is an action that the Pacers have minimized under Bjorkgren. His iso numbers are similar to what he produced last season.
Handoff
LeVert: 5.9% usage, 1.357 PPP, 69.2% overall shooting, 731% adjusted shooting
Oladipo: 14.8% usage, 0.889 PPP, 40% overall shooting, 50% adjusted
LeVert never got much activity in this spot. He was used 3.7% with handoffs last season despite getting 1.265 PPP, 53.6% overall shooting and 64.3% adjusted shooting.
On a financial level, LeVert makes sense. He's under contract for $16.2 million this season, $17.5 million next season and $18.8 million in 2022-23. Oladipo, who makes $21 million, will become a free agent and demand a max contract.
The latter part isn’t in question. The supply of All-Star caliber shooting guards will be thin in free agency, which raises his value even if Oladipo falls short of what he was three years ago when he broke out in Indiana after being traded there for Paul George.
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