CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
One day after the news was first reported, the Cleveland Cavaliers officially announced that they have acquired guard Caris LeVert in a trade with the Indiana Pacers.
What follows are three things to know about LeVert, who could make his Cavs debut as early as Wednesday vs. the San Antonio Spurs.
Ohio born, Michigan made
A native of Columbus, Ohio, LeVert starred at Pickerington Central High School, where he played alongside the likes of current Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate and NFL linebacker Taco Charlton. A three-star recruit, LeVert had initially committed to spending his college career at Ohio University, but reopened his recruitment after head coach John Groce left Athens for Illinois.
LeVert's decision to de-commit ultimately led him to Ann Arbor, where he signed to play for then-Michigan -- and future Cavs -- head coach John Beilein. In four seasons with the Wolverines, the 2014 second-team All-Big Ten selection averaged 10.4 points -- including 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 15 games as a senior, before a foot injury brought his college career to a premature end.
Hello, Brooklyn
Despite concerns regarding his injury, the Brooklyn Nets selected LeVert with the No. 20 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. It didn't take long for the pick to pay off, as the 6-foot-6 swingman became a regular in the Nets' rotation as a rookie before working his way into Brooklyn's starting lineup.
While the Nets didn't do much winning in LeVert's first two seasons, they made a leap during the 2018-19 campaign, amassing a 42-40 record and making the playoffs as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference. That same season, LeVert averaged 13.7 points and 3.9 assists, but missed 42 games during the regular season due to a right foot injury.
The following offseason, LeVert signed a three-year, $52.5 million extension with the Nets. That same summer, Brooklyn's roster underwent a dramatic shift with the Nets acquiring both Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Health scare in the Hoosier State
As it turned out, Brooklyn wasn't finished shopping for stars.
While LeVert made a leap playing alongside Irving and Durant -- he averaged 18.6 points in 57 combined games during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons for the Nets, that also made him one of Brooklyn's most attractive trade assets. In January 2021, the Nets decided to cash in, trading LeVert to the Pacers in a four-way trade -- which also sent center Jarrett Allen to Cleveland -- in order to acquire former MVP James Harden.
LeVert's debut in the Hoosier State, however, was delayed after an MRI during his post-trade physical found a small mass on his kidney. Days later, he underwent surgery to remove the mass, which was confirmed to be renal cell carcinoma.
"I didn't have any symptoms," LeVert said at the time, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. "I was playing in games. I hadn't missed any games this season yet. I was feeling 100 percent healthy. So, in a way, this trade definitely showed and revealed what was going on in my body, so I'm definitely looking at it from that side and definitely humbled to know that this trade could've possibly saved me in the long run."
After undergoing surgery on Jan. 25, LeVert made a full recovery and returned to action for the Pacers on March 13. In 74 games over the course of his two seasons in Indiana, the Ohio native has averaged 19.6 points on .445 percent shooting (.320 from 3-point range), 4.7 assists and 4.2 rebounds before Monday's trade brought him back to the Buckeye State.