Brooklyn Took a Draft-Night Bet on Caris LeVert
On July 7, 2016, Brooklyn acquired the rights to Michigan guard Caris LeVert and a protected future second-round draft choice from Indiana in exchange for forward Thaddeus Young. Indiana had selected LeVert at No. 20 in the first round but moved his rights in an agreement finalized after the draft. LeVert had shown playmaking and shooting potential in college despite a history of foot injuries. The Nets were early in a major rebuild and could give a promising rookie development time, while Indiana wanted a proven athletic forward ready to contribute alongside Paul George and Myles Turner. The future second was later associated with the 2021 No. 44 selection used on Kessler Edwards, an asset whose subsequent ownership path should be distinguished from LeVert immediate signing. This was not a simple player-for-player veteran swap.
LeVert Developed Into a Primary Brooklyn Scoring Guard
LeVert joined the Nets in 2016-17 and gradually expanded from a developing reserve into a starter who could create offense off the dribble. During 2019-20 he averaged 18.7 points and 4.4 assists in 45 games for Brooklyn, demonstrating the upside that made the original draft-night gamble attractive. He was a significant contributor to the franchise rebuilding process before joining the multi-team January 2021 James Harden transaction. Those Brooklyn playing seasons are directly traceable to the LeVert rights obtained from Indiana. His later production for the Pacers or Cavaliers belongs to different franchises and should not be added to the initial Nets return. Brooklyn B+ recognizes several seasons of useful guard offense from a player whose draft stock had been clouded by health uncertainty.
Young Gave Indiana Several Seasons of Dependable Frontcourt Play
Young was a veteran who could defend both forward spots, rebound and finish near the rim. He became a steady Indiana starter over three seasons from 2016-17 through 2018-19 and helped the team adapt after the eventual Paul George departure. The Pacers did not receive an unproductive expiring contract: Young supplied real team-specific NBA minutes while LeVert developed elsewhere. Its inherited C grade appears cautious against that sustained veteran role. The canonical Even Trade label also does not align with Brooklyn B+ exceeding Indiana C, suggesting the original grading and headline deserve a future source-led reconciliation. Both teams had legitimate reasons for the deal and both received substantial direct basketball value along different timelines.
Final Verdict
Even Trade is the inherited winner label despite Brooklyn B+ versus Indiana C grades. Brooklyn obtained Caris LeVert rights and a protected future second, and LeVert later averaged 18.7 points in 2019-20. Indiana received Thaddeus Young, a dependable three-season starting forward. The retained grades and winner require separate reconciliation.