Report: Pacers’ LeVert to miss play-in game vs. Hornets due to protocols

Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert (22) drives past Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March. 13, 2021, in Phoenix. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert is expected to be sidelined for the team’s Tuesday night play-in tilt versus the Charlotte Hornets due to health and safety protocols, and would miss multiple games should they advance, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.

The news comes as a big blow for the No. 9 Pacers who had a tumultuous end to their season and face an upstart 10th-seeded Hornets squad.

LeVert, who was acquired by the Pacers as part of the four-team James Harden blockbuster, missed more than a month after a post-trade physical revealed a mass on his left kidney and led to surgery on Jan. 26.

The 26-year-old returned midway through March and finished the campaign as the Pacers’ second-leading scorer, putting up 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 44.1 per cent shooting from the field.

The fifth-year pro, who previously spent the entirety of his career with the Brooklyn Nets, has career averages of 14.1 points, 3.9 assists and 3.9 rebounds.

[relatedlinks]

Sportsnet.ca no longer supports comments.