Indiana Pacers newcomer Caris LeVert will make his debut with the team Saturday following surgery to remove a small mass from his kidney, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
LeVert was acquired in the James Harden trade with the Brooklyn Nets, which sent shooting guard Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets in January. The Pacers (16-19) visit the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, before playing on the road vs. the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
“I didn’t have any symptoms. I was playing in games. I hadn’t missed any games this season yet. I was feeling 100 percent healthy,” LeVert told reporters after the mass was discovered. “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.”
LeVert, 26, is a 6-foot-6 guard/forward and was drafted by the Nets with the No. 20 overall pick in 2016. He was averaging 18.5 points and career-highs 6.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds at the time of the trade.
