When will Victor Oladipo return to Indiana Pacers?

With Victor Oladipo being in the next phase of his recovery, it’s only a matter of time before he returns to the Indiana Pacers.

Coming into the season it was already known the Indiana Pacers would be without Victor Oladipo due to the recovery of from last January’s knee injury. But as we roll into December, the team is still unaware of is for how much longer it will be without Oladipo.

The Indiana Pacers have assigned Oladipo to their G-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, a couple of times this season. The opportunity Oladipo has with the Mad Ants gives him the chance to practice in a live atmosphere and test his recovery.

While with the Mad Ants, Oladipo was able to go 5-on-5 for the first time since January. He will also be able to continue practicing, but only in the half-court, according to Scott Agness of The Athletic.

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During his long road to recovery and after finally earning the clearance to practice, Oladipo has come out and said this about his road to recovery, per Mark Montieth of NBA.com.

"“I feel like I’ve gotten better in a lot of attributes, not only as a man, but my game as well. I’ve worked on things I normally don’t get to work on. I’m looking forward to showcasing those eventually. I’m taking my sweet time. As slow as possible. Feeling good, though.”"

After an 0-3 start to the season, the Indiana Pacers are now 12-7 and currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Despite the winning record, getting to this point has not been an easy feat for the Pacers.

Oladipo isn’t the only player who the Pacers have on their injured list. The Pacers have faced many injuries this season throughout their roster. From their starters to their role-players, the Pacers have faced injuries everywhere.

One thing the Indiana Pacers have proven to be this season is resilient. There are not many successful teams able to plug-and-play, but the Pacers have shown they can be. Players like Malcolm Brogdon, Edmond Sumner, T.J. McConnell, Jeremy Lamb, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner have all found their name on the injury report this season.

It’s hard to balance out all the inconsistencies for the Indiana Pacers this season when there have been so many injuries. But being able to win games and build on the momentum of guys like Aaron Holiday and Justin Holiday on one night and T.J. Warren the next are what is keeping the Pacers alive.

With Oladipo being in the next phase of his recovery, it’s only a matter of time before he feels confident enough to return to the NBA court. You can tell from watching an entire game the missing piece for the Pacers is Victor Oladipo. Although Brogdon fits perfectly with the Pacers, this team was built around Victor Oladipo and will succeed if and when he returns from his injury.

If this roster can ever be fully 100 percent healthy, the Indiana Pacers would easily be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. This team was built to compete with some of the best teams the NBA has to offer. It’s going to be quite awesome to see how the Indiana Pacers will look with a completely healthy squad.