Caris LeVert out after trade physical finds small mass on kidney; Nets send Pacers extra pick and cash
Former Nets guard Caris LeVert is out indefinitely after the James Harden deal led to a scary finding in his physical. LeVert has a small mass on his left kidney, according to the Pacers, who swapped Victor Oladipo to Houston for LeVert in the four-team deal.
As a result of the physical, the Nets are sending the Pacers a 2024 second-round draft pick and cash, according to The Athletic. LeVert played his final Nets game the day before getting traded, scoring 20 points in a win over the Nuggets.
“We will support Caris through this time and know that he will join us on the court as soon as he is able,” Pacers president Kevin Pritchard said in a statement.
The seriousness of the mass is not yet known, but this type of thing happens. Two different NFL players had life-threatening issues discovered in trades last decade, with the Saints finding Jon Dorenbos’ aortic aneurysm and the Eagles finding Jerome Harrison’s brain tumor.
“We are grateful for their extreme thoroughness during the physical process and I am looking forward to joining the team,” LeVert said. The Pacers said in a statement that he’ll go through more testing.
Harden is the only major player in the trade to debut for his new team, starting for the Nets against the Magic Saturday night. Jarrett Allen has yet to appear in a Cavs uniform, making it likely his debut will come against his old team next week. Oladipo hasn’t suited up for the Rockets yet.
