Nets' LeVert will not need surgery for right foot injury

After being carted off in last night’s game with a gruesome injury, Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert will not need surgery.

The Nets announced today that LeVert has a “subtalar dislocation of the right foot” — a dislocated foot — that will not require surgery. The team also announced he suffered “moderate ligament damage” and that LeVert is expected to return to full basketball activities some time this season.

Here’s the Nets’ statement in full:

Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert returned to New York with the team last night and was evaluated today by Nets’ Team Orthopedist Dr. Martin O’Malley at the Hospital for Special Surgery. Following the evaluation, LeVert was diagnosed with a subtalar dislocation of the right foot.

“Fortunately, tests performed this morning revealed that there are no fractures and only moderate ligament damage,” said Dr. O’Malley. “While the optics of this injury may have appeared to be more severe, surgery will not be required. Caris will begin a period of rehabilitation with the Nets’ performance staff, following which he is expected to return to full strength and resume all basketball activities without any limitations this season.”

Updates regarding LeVert’s rehabilitation will be issued as appropriate.

LeVert was taken off the court on a gurney Monday at Target Center in Minneapolis after suffering a serious lower leg injury in the final seconds of the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

An eerie hush falls over the Target Center crowd as Caris Levert crashes to the ground with a serious leg injury. Stretcher immediately comes out. Scary situation.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) November 13, 2018

LeVert was injured while contesting a drive by Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie with 3.7 seconds remaining in the first half. Players from both teams were shaken up as LeVert received medical attention before being wheeled off the court in obvious distress.

Caris LeVert stretchered off court after suffering gruesome leg injury pic.twitter.com/SJTVrtZDTY

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 13, 2018

Brotherhood. pic.twitter.com/uBWdy9JJ54

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 13, 2018

The Nets announced after the game that LeVert was taken to a Minneapolis-area hospital for treatment. LeVert is averaging a career-high 19 points per game in his third season with the Nets. Brooklyn lost 120-113 on Monday night to Minnesota.

After the game, Nets coaches and players were more focused on LeVert’s status than anything else, writes Greg Logan of Newsday:

“I saw right away what it was and tried to erase it from memory as soon as I could, but it doesn’t work like that,” said D’Angelo Russell. “It’s something that hurts. It’s hard to speak about.

“You don’t want to see anybody get hurt, but for us to see our brother go down that we practice with every day, that we’re on flights with every day, it’s devastating to the stomach. We can put up our prayers for him and step up and try to build off of it.”

…

Recalling the scene in the quiet arena as medics tended to LeVert, teammate Joe Harris said, “I don’t think anybody talked to him. There were really no words. I don’t even think we talked when we came in at halftime. There was nothing really to be said.

“You could just feel the emotions of everybody. Guys were crying. It was really just that horrific to see. Like I said, the circumstances of everything, the type of person Caris is and what he’s been for our team, it just . . . you’re heartbroken and you’re overwhelmed with emotion to be honest.”