After Milwaukee acquired veteran wing Caris LeVert and two second-rounders in a trade with the Detroit Pistons that sent Taurean Prince and Gary Harris eastward, LeVert looks primed for a quieter, smaller role on a rebuilding Milwaukee squad.
The 2026-27 season will be his LeVert’s in the league, making him a veteran presence in one of the league’s youngest locker rooms. The 32-year-old struggled for playing time on the Pistons, logging just 19.2 minutes per game and averaging 7.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 2.9
APG. In his peak years in Brooklyn (who could forget about his 50-ball against Boston?) and Indiana, LeVert was a high-scoring wing who could shoot efficiently both in and outside of the arc, but also operate as a ball-handler and play in the pick-and-roll. As he’s grown, LeVert has become much more of a microwave scorer.
LeVert’s season with Detroit was interesting. Despite making 60 appearances, he didn’t start a game. The journeyman logged a career-low in FG% and FT%, and he dipped below 8.0 PPG for the first time in his career. Granted, LeVert was hampered by nagging wrist and knee injuries, and played through vertigo for a patch of the season. His lack of consistency in playing time, along with limited offensive spacing with the ball in his hands, led to a series of mediocre performances for the Pistons and, eventually, a mediocre season.
Last year, LeVert ranked in the 86th percentile for the percentage of time he had the ball while on the court, but was pretty turnover-prone and struggled offensively; he posted a 51.8% true shooting percentage. LeVert’s high usage can shrink the floor at times, and it isn’t helped by his inconsistent three-point shooting. That said, he improved leaps and bounds defensively; his 6’7” frame, high work rate, and guard-like agility allow him to rack up steals and blocks. However, LeVert’s offensive inefficiency made it hard for him to grow into a more meaningful role.
If LeVert struggled in Detroit, then why did the Bucks’ front office bring him in? Although LeVert is a solid role player and was great for the Pistons at times during their postseason run, the trade is more about GM Jon Horst’s wanting to acquire assets. LeVert’s expiring $14.8m contract didn’t affect the trade exception created in the trade for Giannis or their mid-level exception. In a period where Milwaukee’s draft chest is depleted, the trade for LeVert allowed Horst to gain assets while avoiding the first apron and freeing up cap space later in the rebuild. LeVert’s archetype is nice, but shoring up those assets and keeping cap space open is arguably nicer.
At the end of the day, LeVert projects as an off-the-bench wing who can create his own shot and set up his teammates. However, it will be a real fight to get minutes in a loaded guard rotation that includes Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis. With the Bucks aiming to prioritise the future, expect head coach Taylor Jenkins to shift away from the aging LeVert and towards the younger guards.
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