The Atlanta Hawks are Caris LeVert’s fourth team since he entered the NBA as the No. 20 overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft. Both sides must now determine if they are what is best for one another going forward.
Selected by the Indiana Pacers, it was not until LeVert’s fifth season that he played for the organization, spending four-plus seasons with the Brooklyn Nets to start his career.
After two-plus years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeVert came to Atlanta this season.
The Hawks traded De’Andre Hunter to Cleveland, receiving LeVert, Georges Niang, and a pair of protected first-round swap options. LeVert averaged 14.9 points, 3.7 boards, and dished out 2.9 assists, falling just shy of 1.0 steals per contest, in 26 games with the Hawks.
He ranked fourth in minutes, points, and assists per game on the Hawks after the 2025 trade deadline.
Despite all of that, extending the unrestricted free agent-to-be would be a risky endeavor.
LeVert turns 31 in August. He has spent nine seasons in the NBA. He has appeared in fewer than 60 games in five of those campaigns. LeVert has also logged 30 or more starts and at least 60 total appearances once.
Three of his 60-plus-game seasons have come in the last three seasons. He peaked in 2022-23 with 74 appearances. However, his total outings have dropped in consecutive years.
Early reports indicate the Hawks will at least attempt to retain LeVert, who is open to staying.
Caris LeVert’s value difficult to pin down
LeVert is wrapping a two-year, $32 million contract. His $16.6 million salary for 2024-25 was 11.8% of the salary cap for that season. A similar hit in 2025-26 would put LeVert at $18.2 million.
From there, LeVert and the Hawks would need to agree on the length of the deal.
It is difficult to see them going for a longer deal than the one he is completing. Likewise, he will have better offers than one-year pacts.
Another two-year deal, this time paying $36.4 million, could make sense for LeVert, so long as the Hawks have faith they can keep him on the floor enough to make an impact. He had the fourth-best offensive on-off differential, per Cleaning The Glass.
His ball-handling, playmaking, and ability to generate offense for himself and others stand out.
His ability to play passing lanes and provide resistance defensively are underrated reasons to keep him around.
Unless the Hawks are planning to find a replacement in the draft, they might be hard-pressed to find a better value play than the veteran journeyman. Even with his potential red flags, LeVert offers enough versatility to be a part of any organization’s plan.