T.J. Warren ruled out for the season. Is his time with the Pacers over? Should it be?
He will have played in just four of 154 games over the last two seasons due to injury and is an unrestricted free agent in July.
T.J. Warren never played with Caris LeVert.
He only played four games for head coach Nate Bjorkgren.
Will he ever play for Rick Carlisle?
If he does, it won’t be this season as he continues to recover from a stress fracture in his left foot suffered in Dec. 2020. It is specifically to the navicular bone in the middle of his left foot. It has a high return-to-play rate, but involves a lengthy recovery.
The Pacers (23-47) released the following statement on Thursday afternoon declaring Warren out for the season with just 12 games left:
Our organization’s guiding principle will always center on a holistic approach to our players’ health and prioritizing their overall well-being,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard. “T.J. Warren has worked incredibly hard over the past 14 months to get to this point – a full participant in on-court activity with his teammates – all while navigating the many challenges that accompany this type of injury. However, after thoughtful conversation with T.J. and his representatives, it has been determined that the most beneficial course of action at this point is to allow him to focus on the 2022-23 season. We will continue to provide T.J. with all the care, support, and resources necessary to ensure he returns to the high-level of play to which he’s accustomed.”