Clippers Forward Brandon Ingram to Miss Season Start After Achilles Injury Revelation

Los Angeles Clippers forward Brandon Ingram will not be available for the start of the upcoming season, the team announced. The undisclosed partially torn Achilles tendon in his foot was discovered during surgery for a heel issue in May.

Both the heel and Achilles issues were addressed by doctors, but the extent of the Achilles injury was not previously made public. There is currently no timeline for Ingram's return to play.

Interim president of basketball operations Trent Redden stated that the recovery time for a partially torn Achilles is approximately six months shorter than for a fully torn tendon. "It wasn’t until we got our hands on [Ingram] here that we started to see where he was at with his progression," Redden said. "He won’t be ready for the start of the season, and we’ll reevaluate when we get there."

Ingram previously missed the final two games of the Raptors' first-round playoff series against the Cavaliers due to his heel injury. He described experiencing pain throughout the season with the Raptors, particularly in the crucial final stretch, without knowing the exact cause until near the end of the season, leading to the decision for surgery.

The 29-year-old forward was acquired by the Clippers earlier this month in a trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. Last season, Ingram averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game, shooting 47.7% from the field and 38.2% from three-point range.