Domantas Sabonis has won the 2021 Skills Challenge.

Nikola Vucevic finished second in the competition. 

Caris LeVert is expected to return to game action during the second half of the season.

LeVert underwent surgery for kidney cancer in January, a condition that was diagnosed during a physical following his trade from the Brooklyn Nets to the Indiana Pacers.

LeVert was averaging 18.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists over 12 games before the trade.

Cassius Stanley and Anfernee Simons will enter the Slam Dunk competition on March 7th, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

The two players will join Obi Toppin in the competition.

Derrick Jones Jr., winner of last year's competition, will not enter this season. 

Domantas Sabonis has been named by Adam Silver to replace injured Kevin Durant in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game.

In his fifth NBA season and fourth with the Pacers, Sabonis was named an NBA All-Star for the second consecutive season. Sabonis previously participated in his first NBA All-Star Game in 2020, and NBA All-Star Weekend in 2017 and 2018 as part of the Rising Stars Challenge. 

Sabonis set a Pacers franchise record by opening the season with 16 consecutive double-doubles. He ranks second in the NBA this season overall with 24 double-doubles. Sabonis has posted three triple-doubles on the year and is now the franchise’s leader in career triple-doubles with seven.

Indiana Pacers assistant coach Bill Bayno resigned on Monday, citing mental health reasons.

The 58-year-old took a leave of absence two weeks ago.

Bayno described his need to step away from the NBA workload amid the pandemic and aftermath of several personal losses.

Bayno did not rule out a return to coaching in the future. 

Caris LeVert underwent successful surgery on Monday to treat renal cell carcinoma of his left kidney. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jason Sprunger at Community North Hospital in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Pacers also announced no further treatment is needed.

LeVert is expected to make a full recovery and will be out indefinitely.

The Pacers acquired LeVert in a four-team trade earlier this month.

Domantas Sabonis underwent X-rays on his left knee contusion, which showed no structural damage.

Sabonis left the game in the first half after banging his knee.

The Indiana Pacers have scheduled an MRI on Sabonish for Tuesday.

Caris LeVert discussed the MRI results that revealed a small mass on his kidney, saying he had no ill symptoms before getting traded to the Indiana Pacers.

“I didn’t have any symptoms. As you know, I was playing in games. I hadn’t missed any games this season yet. I was feeling 100 percent healthy, so in a way this trade definitely showed and revealed what was going on in my body.

“I’m definitely looking at it from that side and definitely humbled to know that this trade could have possibly saved me in the long run," said LeVert on Tuesday.

LeVert is currently out indefinitely.

The Pacers received cash and two second-round picks to finalize the trade. 

Myles Turner has suffered a slight fracture in his right hand and will be reevaluated in the coming days.

Turner is averaging a league-high 4.2 blocks per game to go with 12.4 points and 6.8 rebounds.

The Indiana Pacers discussed trading Turner this past offseason, according to reports.

The Indiana Pacers discovered a mass on the kidney of Caris LeVert when they performed a physical on him following a four-team trade. LeVert is likely to undergo surgery to remove the mass.

The Pacers will know more on LeVert's prognosis, but he's unlikely to even practice for the next six to eight weeks.

LeVert signed a three-year, $52.5 million extension with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2019 offseason.