The Indiana Pacers were hit with some terrible news mere hours before the play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets. With injuries surrounding the team already, it was announced that Caris LeVert would be out for Tuesday's game due to health and safety protocols, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
LeVert will miss tonight’s game, and if Indiana advances in Play-In Tournament, he is expected to be sidelined for multiple games, sources said. Significant loss to Indiana’s lineup. https://t.co/B6RJaz1ylH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 18, 2021
Furthermore, if the Pacers find a way to get out of the play-in tournament and secure a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, LeVert would then miss multiple games with the expected timeline being 10-14 days.
Expected timetable for Caris LeVert in health and safety protocols: 10-to-14 days, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.https://t.co/L6i8tbWDwA https://t.co/f0hWNcjhC3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 18, 2021
LeVert had a terrific year, finishing with 20.7 points and 4.9 assists in 35 games with the Pacers after being shipped away from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the massive James Harden blockbuster deal.
Unfortunately, the absence of LeVert comes at the worst possible time for Indiana. They finished the season 5-5 in their last 10 games to drop all the way to the bottom end of the play-in tournament. With Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis already dealing with injuries heading into the game, the loss of LeVert will be tough to overcome.
Furthermore, the future of Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren hit a snag amid some turmoil towards the end of the season, and the possibility of him being canned isn't out of the question by any means.
For a Pacers team crushed by injury all year, and for LeVert who missed quite a bit of time earlier in the season, this is a devastating blow and puts a huge blemish on any chance of them getting out of the play-in tournament.
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