Cavaliers acquire Caris LeVert from Pacers for Ricky Rubio, multiple picks

With days to go until the annual NBA trade deadline and the Indiana Pacers in town, Koby Altman and the Cleveland Cavaliers decided to make a deal.

Sources say that the Cavaliers will send Ricky Rubio, a 2022 lottery-protected first-round pick, a 2022 second-round selection via the Houston Rockets as well as a future second-round selection for swingman Caris LeVert. Cleveland trying to acquire LeVert has been one of the league’s worst-kept secrets leading up to this year’s deadline as the Cavaliers have a dire need for an extra scoring punch in their backcourt after losing Rubio and Collin Sexton for the year. They’ll get exactly that in LeVert - who is averaging 18.7 points per game on 44.7% shooting along with 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Rubio was a solid locker room presence for Cleveland this season and was key in the development of Darius Garland. But, at the end of the day, the league is a business and his expiring contract is a trade asset. Now that LeVert is a Cavalier, the former Ohio University commit can finally play hoops in his home state.