Caris LeVert out indefinitely due to mass on kidney

The Indiana Pacers acquired Caris LeVert from the Brooklyn Nets as part of a four-team James Harden trade earlier this week, but the guard is out indefinitely for the time being. The Pacers announced Saturday that an MRI revealed a small mass of LeVert’s kidney prior to the finalization of the trade. LeVert will have to undergo further medical tests before returning to the court.

The Pacers were initially sent Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets to receive LeVert and a future second-round pick, but their haul was bumped up to two second-round picks after LeVert’s MRI results came in, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

When LeVert does return, he’s expected to bolster an Indiana backcourt that’s led by Malcolm Brogdon, who’s on track to notch his first-ever All-Star appearance in his second year with the Pacers. LeVert will become an important member of Indiana’s core as it builds for the future.