Skip to content

LEAGUES News

Rajakovic: Ingram cleared for contact, ankle 'pain-free'

Vaughn Ridley / National Basketball Association / Getty

Forward Brandon Ingram has been medically cleared from the ankle sprain that prevented the former All-Star from making his Toronto Raptors debut in the second half of last season.

"He's pain-free, he's moving well, he got stronger," Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic said Thursday, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN. "He's in a really, really great spot."

Toronto acquired Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans at the February trade deadline in exchange for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, the Indiana Pacers' 2026 first-rounder, and the Raptors' own second-round pick in 2031. Days later, the team signed the former second overall pick to a three-year extension worth $120 million, averting his impending free agency and establishing him as a long-term complement to franchise star Scottie Barnes.

Ingram sprained his left ankle in a Dec. 7 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder and had already missed two months when he was dealt to Toronto. While there seemed to be a slim chance he would debut for the Raptors late in the regular season, the team officially shut him down in the final week after he received a platelet-rich plasma injection.

"He's been putting in a lot, a lot of work since the end of the season," Rajakovic told Lewenberg on Thursday. "Conditioning, rehab, and everything, he's in a really good spot. Really excited to see what this next stage brings to him."

Ingram averaged 22.2 points, second-best on the Pelicans, in 18 games last season. He added 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per contest while posting shooting splits of 46.5/37.4/85.5.

RELATED NEWS

VJ Edgecombe in his #NBA2KSummerLeague debut: 🔔 15 PTS 🔔 ...
No. 3 pick Edgecombe inefficient but scores 15 in return from thumb sprain
407 feet off the bat of Brent Rooker! #AllStarGame
A's Rooker gets AL on the board with 3-run HR off Giants' Rodríguez 💣
POLAR BEAR GOES YARD IN ATLANTA!
Alonso gets Atlanta on his side for once with 3-run HR to break All-Star Game open 🐻‍❄️
Freddie Freeman gets a standing ovation in Atlanta as he exi...
Freeman exits All-Star Game to nice ovation from Braves fans 👏
Clayton Kershaw exits at the #AllStarGame 👏
Kershaw lifted from potential final ASG to standing ovation from fans, teammates 🫡
GAS. Skenes with back-to-back Ks to start this All-Star Gam...
Skenes opens 95th All-Star Game with consecutive Ks ⛽️
Welcome back to Atlanta, Freddie Freeman! 👏 📺: FOX
Freeman gets emotional after loud ovation in All-Star return to Atlanta 🥹
😅 @Braves fans with a "warm" welcome to the Mets and Philli...
Braves fans boo Mets, Phillies All-Stars during intros 😂
RELEASE: Blackhawks Sign Anton Frondell to Three-Year, Entry...