Caris LeVert will make his long-awaited Indiana Pacers debut on Saturday, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The guard underwent surgery to remove a small mass on his left kidney in late January. The issue was discovered during a physical exam conducted after he was traded by the Brooklyn Nets as part of a four-team trade centered around James Harden.
LeVert has been ramping up in recent practices for his return with the Pacers. Indiana will take on the Phoenix Suns on Saturday in the second game of a three-game road trip that begins Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.
After a strong start to the season, the Pacers have struggled since trading Victor Oladipo to Houston in the same four-team trade that netted LeVert. Indiana is in desperate need of a third creator behind Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis.
“[LeVert] looks good. To me, he looks ready to play,” Brogdon told The Indianapolis Star on Thursda. “A complete game changer. He changes the scouting report. Having another dynamic scorer on the floor can really help this team.”
The 26-year-old averaged 18.5 points and 6 assists in 12 games for Brooklyn prior to the trade.