Los Angeles Lakers vs Brooklyn Nets: 5 players to watch
Caris LeVert
Caris LeVert was the 20th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He was unable to participate in any summer league last year as he healed from an injury. The injury also had him miss the beginning of his rookie season, as he appeared in only 57 games. He was also on a minutes restriction but eventually moved into the starting lineup for 26 games.
LeVert played well, as he looked like a building block for the Nets. That has not changed this summer has LeVert has looked good in Las Vegas.
LeVert leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game. It is impressive he is scoring that much, as he is shooting a putrid 10.5 percent from the three-point line, as he is 2-of-19 in Las Vegas. That is surprising as he made 32.2 percent of his three-point attempts as a rookie. He has made up for it inside the arc, where he has shot 19-of-28.
Outside of the three-point shooting, LeVert has done rather well. He is also averaging 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He has a 16.79 PER in the summer.
LeVert will be the player the Lakers have to focus on slowing down. He will have the ball in his hands a lot and is a threat to score from anywhere on the court. Depending on the lineup the Lakers go with, Vander Blue could be tasked with trying to slow down the Nets’ leading scorer.