No, the Milwaukee Bucks did not trade for Caris LeVert because they felt like he could be a legitimate rotation piece after trading Giannis Antetokounmpo. They did it to land draft assets from the Pistons and free up a roster spot. However, LeVert might still have a role to play, and that's mentoring a group of largely young players still looking to find their footing in the NBA.
LeVert's experience could help young Bucks grow
Milwaukee's new wing is currently the team's oldest player and just one of three Bucks who are over the age of 30. This is a young group, and with youth comes inexperience. As the team looks to build post-Giannis Antetokounmpo, having veterans working with the young players will be essential, and LeVert's hard-earned experience means he will be one of the primary voices in that regard.
LeVert's importance is only amplified by Milwaukee's assortment of talented guards. Brayden Burries, Kasparas Jakucionis, and even Kam Jones are all young players looking to break into the rotation and show their value next season. Working with LeVert, a guard and former first-round draft pick with 10 seasons of NBA experience under his belt, daily could certainly help them grow.
LeVert should also serve as valuable guard depth
While he certainly shouldn't steal any time from the youngsters, given that they are the future of the Milwaukee Bucks, LeVert should always be ready. His experience would make him an easy piece to plug into any lineup if the team ever needs a body due to injury or any other circumstance. That's an advantage of having a veteran on standby.
LeVert had a down year this past season with the Detroit Pistons. There is no doubt about it. In 60 games, he averaged a career-low 7.2 points per game. Yet, one bad year doesn't mean a player is finished in most cases. Sure, he might not return to being the near 20-point-per-game scorer he has been for most of his career, but LeVert can still get a few buckets here and there, hopefully.
His ability to be both a mentor and a depth piece on standby makes the Bucks trading for LeVert an easily justifiable move. That draft capital they got only sweetens the pot. No, this certainly won't rank as one of the Milwaukee Bucks' best moves of the summer, but it could go down as one of the more underrated acquisitions.
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