Pelicans' Brandon Ingram out vs. Rockets with Knee Injury; Josh Hart to Start

New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram will miss Monday's game against the Houston Rockets with right knee soreness, the team announced. 

Josh Hart assumed Ingram's role in the starting five.

The Pelicans acquired Ingram from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the Anthony Davis trade. From a player perspective, the 22-year-old represented the most valuable asset in the deal.

A move to New Orleans allowed Ingram to reset a bit after three underwhelming years in Los Angeles, and he has responded by playing better than ever. Through nine games, he's averaging 25.9 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 46.9 percent from three-point range.

Durability has been an issue for Ingram. 

He exited New Orleans' 115-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with a head injury. ESPN's Andrew Lopez reported the team evaluated him for a concussion but didn't diagnose him with one.

Last year Ingram missed the Lakers' final 19 games after undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery. Groin and neck injuries limited him toward the end of the 2017-18 campaign as well.

The Pelicans already had to grapple with Zion Williamson's torn meniscus, which ruled the No. 1 overall pick out for at least the first two months of the season. That has put even more pressure on Ingram's shoulders, so losing him—even for one game—is bad news as New Orleans attempts to turn around a 2-7 start.