The Indiana Pacers have fallen on tough times since they were a part of the James Harden blockbuster trade. In that trade, the Pacers sent Victor Oladipo to the Houston Rockets and in return received Caris LeVert and a 2023 second-round pick. Unfortunately for the Pacers, they have yet to have LeVert on the court.

During the physicals for the trade, a mass was discovered on LeVert’s kidney. This trade very well could have saved LeVert’s life, as he was actively playing in games with the Brooklyn Nets before the trade was consummated.

Without their key acquisition in the trade, the Pacers have fallen in the Eastern Conference standings. They are 9-14 since January 13th, when the blockbuster trade was announced. They have had two four-game losing streaks during that stretch, dropping their record to 16-18 on the season and putting them in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

While things have been rocky, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. According to Shams Charania of the subscription-based The Athletic, Caris LeVert is on track to return to the court for the Pacers in the second half of the season.

While there isn’t an exact timetable for when he will return, this is magnificent news nonetheless. To undergo surgery for kidney cancer in January and return to the court just a couple months later is truly miraculous. While Indiana would love to have him on the court as soon as possible, they will be patient with his return.

LeVert has begun to blossom since 2019. Since the beginning of last season, he is averaging 18.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.2 assists with 1.2 steals per game. He has had the best three-point shooting stretch of his career during that time as well.

Getting him into the lineup would provide a much-needed spark for the Pacers’ offense, which has been inconsistent since the trade. His playmaker and scoring ability would add a much-needed dimension to a team also without the scoring prowess of T.J. Warren.