Nets’ Caris LeVert is Expected to Return to Nets Lineup

He's back on court.

NY Daily News

Caris LeVert has missed seven weeks of the season due to a right thumb surgery. The league tells ESPN that the guard is expected to return this Saturday playing against the Toronto Raptors. 

The Nets has been playing games without their best players—Kyrie Irving and Levert—due to their injuries and lost their fourth straight game on Thursday against Dallas. 

Levert has averaged 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists in his career with the Nets. This was before we went downtown in the Nov. 10 game against the Suns. He missed a total of 42 games last season with a dislocated foot and will miss an additional game upon returning to court on Saturday. LeVert signed a $52.5 million three-year contract for the offseason.

LeVert has ramped his workouts after his recovery.

“That’s the plan: plan to try and make a difference as soon as I come back,” LeVert said after practice on Wednesday. “We feel like we didn’t play our best basketball the past couple of games, despite my injury or anything like that. We’re just disappointed in the way we’ve been playing basketball.”

LeVert was the leading scorer for the Nets and with his return, this will be a big boon for the team. 

“Caris is supposed to be our second All-Star this year, along with Kyrie. He’ll be a huge boost because he’s supposed to be our second-best player,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “Anytime you’re down — well, not including [Kevin Durant] — but down your two best players, when you get them back it’s a big boost.”

That’s all going to change on Saturday when LeVert comes playing on the court. 

“I knew we were going to take a hit without him. He was playing that well. He was playing great. Not good, great,” Atkinson said in regards to LeVert. “And a guy that bought in, playing to a high level, you just don’t feel great about it. Obviously with all our injuries we need the roster spot.”