The Detroit Pistons' Caris LeVert suffered a sprained wrist following a fall on Saturday night against the Nets. He missed the last two games, but is considered day-to-day. He is expected to be back for either Thursday's game against the Sixers or Friday's clash against the Grizzlies. Even if he is ready to return to action, however, the Pistons should consider changes in the rotation.
Without LeVert in the last two games, the Pistons have gone deeper into their rotation. Head coach JB Bickerstaff generally wants to keep a ten-man rotation, which means that both Marcus Sasser and Kevin Huerter saw significant minutes. This was partly due to Ausar Thompson, who has also been sidelined, but the Pistons should try sticking with having LeVert in a smaller role upon his return.
Pistons Should Be in No Rush to Bring Back Caris LeVert
Despite struggling off the bench all season, LeVert has consistently featured for the Pistons, playing 19.3 minutes per game. His 41.8/33.1/68.3 shooting splits have left plenty to be desired. The 17.8 percent usage rate and 52.1 percent True Shooting are not what the Pistons had in mind when they signed him in the offseason.
As a result, LeVert has the worst on/off metrics on the team, per Cleaning the Glass. The Pistons are 10.8 points per 100 possessions worse with the veteran shooting guard on the floor compared to when he is on the bench. Most of this difference comes on the offensive side of the ball. The Pistons have an offensive rating of 112.3 with LeVert on and 119.4 with him off.
The 31-year-old shooting guard is a solid defensive player and has made an impact on that end of the floor. He will be a reliable option there in the postseason.
Until then, however, the Pistons have to explore and evaluate what they have elsewhere on the roster. Huerter is a better shooter and an overall better offensive player than LeVert. Sasser has been starting in the last three games and has shown an ability to create good shots for himself and his teammates. Daniss Jenkins continues to be a difference-maker off the bench. The Pistons have won all of Huerter's and Jenkins' minutes in the last three games.
With 18 games left in the regular season, the Pistons have a 3.5-game cushion against the No. 2 Celtics and a six-game cushion against the No. 3 Knicks. This should give them some breathing room to try different things. Those things should include marginalizing LeVert in the rotation in favor of a larger role for Huerter and Jenkins. Whether Bickerstaff, who has spoken highly of LeVert at every opportunity, will consider it, however, remains to be seen.