One of the breakout performers in the Orlando bubble, T.J. Warren’s follow-up performance had been put on pause for a while. On Thursday, the team announced that the forward is out indefinitely after suffering a stress fracture on his left foot that requires surgery. The Pacers described the surgery as repairing “a small navicular” fracture.
Warren had been playing through plantar fasciitis for the initial for hands of the season while averaging 15.5 points on 52.9 percent shooting in those game. This is a significant blow to the Pacers, as Warren lead the team in scoring last season at 19.8 points each game. The organisation will be buoyed by Victor Oladipo’s return to form. After two injury-riddled seasons, Oladipo is leading the franchise with 22.7 points per game on 61.4 offering shooting.
Warren had a similar season-ending surgery for a stress fracture in 2016 while he was with the Phoenix Suns, and he came back for the initiation of the following season in strong form. During his first six years in the NBA, he played only an average of 54.6 games per season.
After his team won on December 26, Pacers Head Coach Nate Bjorkgren said, “He’s always ready to go,” of Warren. “He looked good tonight. He was getting to the paint, getting hit, (and) getting to the foul line.”
In the three preseason games and one regular-season game that Warren did not play, Aaron Holiday started in his place. Typically, Holiday is a combo guard and not a forward. It appears the Pacers are able to get away with starting the youngster alongside Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo.
