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Caris LeVert won't be playing in the summer league which starts this weekend. He's still recovering from foot surgery last March, But Kenny Atkinson told reporters Thursday he expects LeVert will be fine by Nets training camp.
Kenny Atkinson expects Caris LeVert (left foot) will be ready for training camp. Likes his length and versatility. "We got our guy." #Nets
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) July 7, 2016
Indeed, according to one source, the Nets had LeVert, a combo guard, at No. 11 on their internal draft. He went at No. 20. The Nets traded Thaddeus Young to Indiana for LeVert's rights and a protected second round pick, reportedly in 2023.
"We do our due diligence on every guy, and I think that’s part of the draft process, you’re getting all the medical information, you’re talking with everybody, and you’re talking with the people at Michigan," Atkinson said. "We got all the information and we were all like, ‘Yes, let’s do this judging the risk or lack thereof we felt like it was a good decision.’"
That deal was finalized Thursday morning, the first day after the NBA's signing moratorium. The Nets release described LeVert this way.
LeVert (6’7", 205) played four seasons at Michigan and helped the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including trips to the National Championship game in 2013 and the Elite Eight in 2014. In 103 career games (70 starts) for the Wolverines, LeVert averaged 10.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 26.4 minutes per game. As a senior, the Columbus, Ohio, native posted averages of 16.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 30.9 minutes per game while shooting .506 from the field and .446 from 3-point range in 15 games (14 starts) during an injury-shortened season.