Lamar Stevens Is The Piece The Cavs Were Looking For
The Cleveland Cavaliers approached this year's trade deadline in the market for another wing. They viewed this as a weak spot and believed an upgrade would cement themselves as true contenders in the East.
At this point, we know that Cavs weren't able to find that trade they were looking for and didn't make a move with another team. But Cleveland may have still found that missing piece they were searching for.
This hidden gem is third-year man Lamar Stevens.
The 25-year-old may not stick out as one of the most popular players in the NBA, or even on his team. However, his performance and impact on the floor certainly make him shine.
Stevens has appeared in 50 games for the Cavs during the season and even started in 19 of those. Over those games, he's averaging 5.4 points and 3.2 rebounds. This isn't where Stevens makes his impact though.
He brings another level of energy to the floor that results in second-chance points and a boost on defense for the Cavs. Stevens is the definition of what a slasher is and this is a role that someone on every successful team has. His last five games are proof of this.
Over this stretch, Stevens is averaging 7.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and has a +/- of 6.2. This includes his incredible fourth-quarter performance that helped lead the Cavs to a win over the Celtics.
I do still wish that Stevens could knock down threes better. He's shooting them at 30 percent this season and if he is able to get that number up he could be the perfect three-and-d player.
The Cavs are still likely to explore an upgrade at the three over the offseason, but they should ride the wave of Stevens' success for the rest of the season until then.
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