Shortly after being moved to the Indiana Pacers as part of the blockbuster James Harden trade, Caris LeVert underwent surgery for kidney cancer in late January. While he still hasn’t made his debut in Indiana, things are progressing for LeVert as he prepares to take the floor once again.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, LeVert is on track to return to the lineup in the second half of the season. The Pacers plan to be patient with him throughout his recovery, especially considering the uniqueness of the situation. While there’s no timetable for his return, it appears LeVert will be making his Pacers debut at some point in the regular season.
Prior to his trade and surgery, LeVert played in 12 games for the Nets to start the 2020-21 season and averaged 18.5 points, 6.0 assists,
The Pacers are also still missing T.J. Warren, who was one of the most dominant players in last seasons’ bubble. While Warren is still out of the lineup at this point, LeVert will be a huge addition to the production and success of the team.
Even with a diminished roster for most of the season, Indiana is still 16-19, which is good for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. When fully healthy, there’s no reason to think that the Pacers won’t climb back into the top portion of the East standings.
