National Basketball Association

Pacers select LeVert at No. 20 for Nets to complete deal

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:07 p.m. ET

foxsports

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Indiana Pacers took Michigan forward Caris LeVert with the No. 20 pick in the NBA draft Thursday night and will send him to the Brooklyn Nets to complete a trade for forward Thaddeus Young.

The deal was known publicly a few hours before the draft, but won't be officially announced until after the new salary cap takes effect.

Indiana still has a second-round pick to make Thursday, No. 50 overall.

Last season at Michigan, the 6-foot-7 LeVert averaged 16.5 points and 5.3 rebounds but only played in 15 games because of injuries.

With the Pacers transitioning to a smaller, faster style, team president Larry Bird wanted someone who could make an immediate impact. LeVert, like most rookies, probably would have needed time to adjust to the NBA game, so Bird made the deal.