Brandon Ingram Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Ingram, Thompson, Lively, Jackson Jr.

April 18th, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Brandon Ingram‘s outing against the Lakers in Tuesday’s play-in loss was just his second since returning from a bone bruise that forced him to miss 12 games. Ingram was pulled from that loss with 7:38 to go in the fourth quarter and didn’t return, finishing with 25 minutes of game time.

“I just liked the group that was on the floor at the time,” head coach Willie Green said. “B.I. is still getting back. Still getting his rhythm. So I didn’t want to force the issue. I liked the group that was going.”

However, as NOLA.com’s Christian Clark observes, the Pelicans are going to need to rely on Ingram more in Friday’s play-in outing against the Kings. Zion Williamson, who scored 40 points in the loss, was ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered near the end of Tuesday’s game.

The Pelicans saw most of their success on Tuesday with a bench-heavy lineup centered around Williamson. Meanwhile, Ingram finished with 12 points while CJ McCollum had just nine. As Clark writes, if Williamson didn’t get hurt, Green may have finished the game without either Ingram or McCollum on the floor. The Pelicans were outscored by 3.2 points per 100 possessions with Williamson, Ingram and McCollum sharing the floor this season.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Magic have previously been mentioned as a potential suitor for unrestricted free agent Klay Thompson. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Mavericks are another team worth monitoring as a landing spot for Warriors‘ the five-time All-Star. Thompson had his worst shooting night of the season in the play-in against the Kings, missing all 10 of his shots. However, as Amick writes, he’d been playing better toward the end of the season, averaging 21.8 points on 41.6% shooting from deep in the 10 games after getting his starting job back.
Dereck Lively II‘s status for Game 1 against the Clippers on Sunday is still in the air, but he went through practice on Tuesday and appeared to be moving well, Mavs.com’s Eddie Sefko reports. Lively, who has been out since March 31 after averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in his rookie season, pairs with Daniel Gafford to provide a one-two punch for the Mavericks at the center position.
The Grizzlies are looking to add more size to their rotation next season after shipping Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman out in separate deals this season. However, as Grind City Media’s Michael Wallace writes, they’re not yet committed to playing Jaren Jackson Jr. to strictly one position. “I like seeing Jaren out there at [power forward] more, with another big man, and then me coming off the bench,” teammate Brandon Clarke said. “That was kind of how it was the past four years. But we just really got to get healthy first. And we’re going to get a good pick in the draft. So, I trust the front office with what they choose. But sounds like we need somebody big and somebody strong down there for us.“

Injury Notes: Ingram, Giannis, Green, Robinson, Melton

April 12th, 2024 at 7:40am CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, who has been sidelined since March 21 due to a left knee bone contusion, is expected to return to action on Sunday vs. the Lakers, TNT’s Chris Haynes said on Thursday night’s broadcast (Twitter video link via Pelicans Film Room).

Ingram’s impending return will give him an opportunity to get acclimated back into the Pelicans’ lineup ahead of the postseason. He’ll also get the chance to try to help New Orleans clinch a playoff berth — the team currently has a one-game lead on Phoenix for the No. 6 seed in the West. Since the Suns hold the tiebreaker, the Pelicans will need to win its remaining two games or have Phoenix lose at least once to hang onto the sixth spot.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said this week that he isn’t sure whether or not star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will be ready for the start of the playoffs (Twitter link via Jamal Collier of ESPN). Antetokounmpo was in a walking boot on the sidelines during Wednesday’s game (Twitter link via Harris Stavrou of SPORT24). Milwaukee had another player bitten by the injury bug during that contest, as swingman A.J. Green went down with a left ankle sprain (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). Green has been ruled out for Friday’s matchup with Oklahoma City.
After missing five games due to a back issue in late March, Heat forward Duncan Robinson returned to action on March 31 and appeared in four more contests after that, but still wasn’t quite right, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Robinson will miss a third consecutive contest on Friday vs. Toronto as a result of that nagging back problem, and his availability for the start of the postseason is up in the air.
Sixers guard De’Anthony Melton returned on Tuesday from a lumbar spine injury, playing for just the fourth time since January 12. He admitted that the recovery process was a long, challenging one, as Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Throughout the whole process, it was a lot of ups and downs,” Melton said. “Some days [were] better than others. Definitely there was a little doubt that crept into my mind. But I just kind of tried to stay with it and, every day, just take it moment by moment. And now we’re here.” Head coach Nick Nurse said Melton felt good after playing nearly 16 minutes on Tuesday, adding that the team will look to increase his minutes a little on Friday (Twitter link via Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports).

Pelicans Say Brandon Ingram Making Progress Toward Return

April 6th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has been cleared to begin individual on-court workouts as he recovers from a left knee bone contusion, according to a tweet from the team.

Ingram, who hasn’t played since March 21, had his condition reevaluated this morning, the Pelicans stated. He will gradually increase the intensity of his rehab work, but a firm timetable hasn’t been set for him to resume playing.

Ingram has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game at Phoenix and Tuesday’s contest at Portland, but nothing is definite beyond that. New Orleans will play Thursday at Sacramento and Friday at Golden State before ending the season at home against the Lakers on April 14.

Ingram was projected to miss at least two weeks when he was diagnosed with the injury, so his comeback is right about on schedule. He also hyperextended his knee in that March 21 game against Orlando and had to be helped to the locker room.

The Pelicans have fallen into play-in territory after dropping their last four games, so they need Ingram back as quickly as possible. He’s their second-leading scorer this season at 20.9 PPG while shooting 49% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range.

Injury Notes: Luka, Warriors, Zion, Ingram, Young, Turner

April 5th, 2024 at 7:21pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic was ruled out for Friday’s matchup with Golden State due to right knee soreness, as first reported by Marc Stein (via Twitter). Sources tell Stein there’s optimism that Doncic will return on Sunday vs. Houston.

The injury “shouldn’t be long term,” head coach Jason Kidd said (Twitter link via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon).

It will be the 10th missed game this season for Doncic, which will hurt his chances of claiming his first MVP award — frontrunner Nikola Jokic has only missed three games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the other primary candidate for the award, will miss his seventh game of 2023/24 on Sunday in Charlotte.

Mavs big man Maxi Kleber, who played 21 minutes in yesterday’s win over Atlanta, is also out Friday with back spasms, the team announced (via Twitter).

The Warriors will also be shorthanded for Friday’s matchup in Dallas, which is the second of a back-to-back for both clubs. Andrew Wiggins is out with left ankle soreness, while Jonathan Kuminga — who warmed up with the intent of playing — will miss his sixth straight game with knee tendinitis, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter links).

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who is dealing with a left finger contusion, was considered a game-time decision for Friday’s contest vs. San Antonio. However, he was later ruled out (Twitter link via the Pels). Prior to Friday’s game, head coach Willie Green also provided an injury update on Brandon Ingram, who is currently sidelined with a left knee bone contusion. “He’s jogging on the treadmill,” Green said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com (Twitter link). “He’s in the weight room. Other than that, we don’t have anything new to report.” Green confirmed a recent report that New Orleans is optimistic about Ingram returning before the regular season ends, Clark adds.
On his podcast (YouTube link), Hawks point guard Trae Young provided an update on his rehab from hand surgery, as Brad Rowland relays (via Twitter). “I got another call with the doctor next Monday,” Young said of when he could return. ” … Hopefully next week I can make a fist and I can get out of this cast. And then I can play. So hopefully next week.”
Pacers center Myles Turner suffered a dislocated right index finger in Monday’s victory over Brooklyn, which caused him to miss Wednesday’s rematch with the Nets, but he was back in the starting lineup on Friday against Oklahoma City, the team announced (Twitter link). Turner has dealt with several injuries over the course of his career but he has been relatively healthy in ’23/24, appearing in 73 of 78 games.

Injury Notes: Leonard, Barrett, Quickley, Mitchell, Ingram

April 2nd, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss the team’s game on Tuesday against the Kings due to right knee soreness, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Leonard, who played 37 minutes and scored 23 points against the Hornets on Sunday, returned to Los Angeles on Monday for treatment. His status for Thursday’s game against the Nuggets is uncertain.

The fact that Leonard’s flared up is a troubling development for the Clippers, who are pointing toward to a deep playoff run. Leonard has appeared in 68 games this season, his most since the 2016/17 campaign. Norman Powell will move into the starting lineup in his place, Youngmisuk tweets.

We have more injury-related news to pass along:

RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley are active for the Raptors’ game against the Lakers tonight, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Barrett hasn’t played since March 11 due to personal reasons and re-conditioning. Quickley has been out since March 17 for the same reasons.
The Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, who has been battling a sore left knee, will miss Tuesday’s game against Utah, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. It’s the first game of a back-to-back, with Cleveland facing Phoenix on Wednesday. Mitchell has appeared in 51 games this season and is ineligible for postseason awards.
There’s optimism that Brandon Ingram will be back in action for the Pelicans next week, The Athletic’s said Shams Charania during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back program (video link). “Brandon Ingram is going to be reevaluated at the end of the week, that’ll be the two-week mark, and the hope is by that three-week mark next week, he’s going to be back in the lineup,” Charania said. Ingram is working his way back from a left knee bone contusion.

Southwest Notes: Daniels, Ingram, Jones, Whitmore, Wemby

March 30th, 2024 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels, who has been sidelined since February 9 due to knee surgery, has been cleared to return for Saturday’s game vs. Boston, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

Daniels wasn’t a major part of the Pelicans’ offensive attack earlier in the season, averaging a modest 5.5 points per game on 43.8% shooting (29.1% on threes). However, he started 15 of his 52 games and played 21.9 minutes per contest, in large part due to his defensive prowess. Assuming he’s not slowed by his knee at all, Daniels figures to reclaim a rotation role down the stretch.

There’s also good news out of New Orleans on injured forward Brandon Ingram, who was able to do some on-court work on Friday in what William Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link) describes as a positive step in his recovery from a knee contusion. Ingram will reportedly remain sidelined until at least Friday, but perhaps by next weekend he’ll be nearing a return.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans will be without guard Jose Alvarado on Saturday for a second straight game due to a right oblique strain, per the NBA’s official injury report. It’s unclear how much more time – if any – Alvarado might miss as a result of that injury.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Christian Clark of NOLA.com makes the case for Herbert Jones to claim a spot on this season’s All-Defensive first team, explaining why the player that Pelicans teammates describe as “our defensive leader” deserves the honor.
After missing the past nine games due to a sprained right knee, Rockets rookie Cam Whitmore believes he’s on the verge of returning to action. According to Whitmore, he’s working on getting his conditioning back to 100% and hopes to be cleared in time to suit up against Dallas on Sunday, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “I feel fine. There’s no pain (in the knee),” he said. “No tweaks, no issues, no nothing. I feel back to normal. I just have to feel better moving around laterally.”
Now that he has appeared in the requisite 65 games, Victor Wembanyama deserves serious consideration for this season’s Defensive Player of the Year award, writes Mike Monroe of The Athletic. “If you just watch the game you see how (Wembanyama) affects the game defensively,” Spurs guard Tre Jones said. “It’s tough because of our record, but I think most people know he’s already the best defender in the league. He’s already leading the league in blocks; leads in blocks and steals combined, more than previous NBA Defensive Player of the Year winners.”
Count Jalen Brunson among Wembanyama’s fans. After the Spurs‘ No. 1 overall pick racked up 40 points and 20 rebounds en route to an overtime win against the Knicks on Friday, Brunson – who scored 61 points in the losing effort – predicted that Wembanyama will be “one of the greatest players this game has seen,” tweets Paul Garcia of Project Spurs. “Just the way he’s built and what he’s been able to do so far,” Brunson said. “Got a lot of respect for him and it’s definitely tough to get a shot up and in over him.”

Southwest Notes: Irving, Ingram, Jackson, Wembanyama

March 23rd, 2024 at 9:35am CST by Tristan Tucker

Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving is strictly adhering to his daily fasting during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News writes. That made it all the more impressive that he hit a buzzer-beating shot to knock off the defending champion Nuggets on Sunday after not intaking food or drink for over nine hours.

Since Ramadan began, the Mavericks are 3-1 and Irving is reaching new heights while averaging 27.8 points, 8.5 assists, and 6.5 per game rebounds despite 12 hours each day without eating or drinking, Townsend writes.

“Ramadan is a special time,” Irving said. “… It’s a difficult journey. To be able to play 48 minutes and do it without having a drink or any food in my stomach is nothing short of a miracle.”

Irving converted to Islam in 2021, meaning this is the fourth spring he’s fasting for. Teammates, coaches and staff members, including assistant God Shammgod, have been actively supporting the star guard during Ramadan.

“Kai’s been with other organizations where things sometimes have been misunderstood,” Shammgod said. “So it’s my job to make sure he has a gateway to the coaches, to the organization. And have an understanding from both sides.”

Ramadan concludes on April 9 and the Mavericks will have played 14 games during that stretch of time.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Pelicans star forward Brandon Ingram‘s improved defense and play-making has helped the team achieve one of the best seasons in franchise history. Ingram unfortunately suffered a knee contusion on Thursday and is out for at least two weeks. However, as The Athletic’s William Guillory relays, the Pelicans should be relieved it isn’t worse, considering he may be in position to return ahead of the postseason. Ingram had appeared in 63 games this season, averaging 20.9 points and 5.8 assists. As Guillory observes, if Ingram doesn’t return before the postseason, he’ll still be eligible for any postseason awards despite not reaching 65 games because he was available for 85% of his team’s games at the time of injury.
GG Jackson continues to establish himself as an integral piece of the Grizzlies‘ future after slipping to the No. 45 pick in the 2023 draft and starting the year on a two-way deal, Michael Wallace of Grind City Media writes. Jackson is averaging 23.6 points while shooting 37.3% on 9.6 three-point attempts per game in his last seven outings, including a career-high 35-point showing on Wednesday. “We always knew it wasn’t a talent thing for him – it’s about carrying yourself as a pro each and every day,” Desmond Bane said of Jackson’s development. “He’s got a lot of great people to learn from in our locker room, and he’s taking full advantage of it.“
Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama said he’s going to be sharing his input on San Antonio’s future and is thankful the team wants it, according to NBA.com’s Michael C. Wright (Twitter link). The Spurs will be consulting their franchise player on their offseason moves and the direction they go.

Brandon Ingram To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Knee Contusion

March 22nd, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Arthur Hill

Brandon Ingram has been diagnosed with a left knee bone contusion, the Pelicans announced (via Twitter). The injury was revealed in an MRI conducted this morning after Ingram hyperextended his knee during Thursday’s game against Orlando. He will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to the team.

Ingram suffered the injury while planting his left foot early in the third quarter, per Christian Clark of NOLA. He fell to the court in pain and could only put minimal pressure on the knee as he was helped to the locker room.

With just three and a half weeks remaining, there’s no guarantee that New Orleans will have Ingram back before the end of the regular season. If the reevaluation takes place in exactly two weeks, that would be April 5, leaving the team with just five games remaining before the season wraps up April 14.

The Pelicans are currently fifth in the West at 42-27, but they’re only two games ahead in the loss column of the Mavericks, Suns and Kings in a tight race to avoid the play-in tournament. New Orleans will travel to Phoenix on April 7 and Sacramento on April 11, so it would be beneficial to have Ingram back on the court by then.

Ingram is the Pelicans’ second-leading scorer at 20.9 PPG, along with 5.1 rebounds and a team-high 5.8 assists per night. Trey Murphy is expected to take on a bigger role until Ingram can return.

Brandon Ingram Exits With Left Knee Injury

March 21st, 2024 at 8:48pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram exited Thursday’s matchup with the Magic with a left knee injury after planting awkwardly, according to NOLA.com’s Christian Clark.

Ingram appeared to hyperextend the knee, writhed on the floor and had to be helped off the court. According to Clark, he put minimal pressure on his knee as he headed back to the locker room. After the game, head coach Willie Green said Ingram would have an MRI, but didn’t have any other information (Twitter link).

“It’s extremely difficult to see him go down,” Green said. “Our prayers will be going up tonight. Hopefully, we get some good news tonight.”

Ingram scored 14 points in his first 21 minutes before sustaining the injury. On the season, he is averaging 21.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field and 35.7% from deep. Without Ingram, the Pelicans fell to the Magic 121-106.

In his absence, Trey Murphy shouldered more minutes and finished the game with 21 points in 29 minutes. Clark expects Murphy to continue to play more with Ingram out.

“It hurts,” Murphy said. “You hope there is nothing wrong with him. He’s been a big help for me in my career and my progression. The whole maturation process. To see him go down, it hurts. Definitely just pray for him.”

Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Kyrie, Ingram, McCollum

March 15th, 2024 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is the heavy betting favorite to be named this season’s Defensive Player of the Year. However, Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, who is leading the NBA in blocked shots despite averaging just 28.8 minutes per game, is considered a likely finalist for the award in his rookie year.

Responding in French to a reporter from his homeland on Thursday, Wembanyama said that Gobert has earned the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024, but suggested he intends to supplant his fellow Frenchman as the favorite in future seasons, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required).

“I know that Rudy has a very good chance of winning it this year, and it would be deserved,” Wembanyama said. “Let him win it now, because after that, it’s no longer his turn.”

Wembanyama is one of the most talented rim protectors to enter the NBA in years. Besides racking up blocked shots, he frequently uses his 7’4″ frame and eight-foot wingspan to force opposing players to alter their shots.

“He makes guys think about shooting layups that are usually just gimmes, easy shots, little bunnies around the rim,” teammate Tre Jones said. “He’s making guys question it, dribble out. And it’s been some of the best players in the league. We all see his dominance on the defensive end and it’s only going to get better.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has a “deep desire” to play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics this summer, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium said during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back (Twitter video link). Irving has previously won gold medals at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics with Team USA, but wasn’t one of the 11 players identified a couple weeks ago as a virtual lock or a “strong candidate” to be part of this year’s team. Still, that group could change in the coming months.
Brandon Ingram is best known for his abilities as a scorer, but his Pelicans teammates and coaches are impressed with the strides he has made as a defender, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Trey Murphy said that Ingram has made “humongous steps” on defense and is “taking those steps to become a two-way superstar.”
Veteran guard CJ McCollum spent the first eight-and-a-half seasons of his NBA career in Portland, but he has found a new home in New Orleans with the Pelicans, both on and off the court, as William Guillory details for The Athletic. “I’m serious about my commitment to New Orleans. I don’t do this for play-play,” McCollum said. “This place holds a special place in my heart, and my family feels the same way.”