Pelicans' Brandon Ingram Day-to-Day with Ankle Injury, Will Not Play vs. 76ers
May 5, 2021
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram suffered a left low ankle sprain and is considered day-to-day, the team announced Wednesday.
He will not play against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
Ingram, 23, has amassed 23.8 points on 46.6 percent shooting, 4.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists this season.
He posted 23.8 points on 46.3 percent shooting, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists in a breakout 2019-20 campaign for the Pels following three years with the Los Angeles Lakers. Ingram proved to be a franchise building block, to the point where the Pels signed him to a five-year, $158 million extension in November 2020.
Ingram has ultimately bounced back from serious adversity earlier in his career. Groin, neck and ankle ailments took him off the court during his Lakers tenure, and he had a significant health scare in 2019 after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his arm, prematurely ending his 2018-19 season.
The former Duke star has missed time for various reasons over the last two years, notably sitting five games beginning April 1 with a sore right foot. But he's a big reason the Pels have a bright future as the team looks to build around him and Zion Williamson.
Speaking of which, the Pels should rely more on Williamson in Ingram's absence. The sophomore big man has posted 27.0 points on 61.1 percent shooting per game. Point guard Lonzo Ball could also see an uptick in usage.
As far as court time, James Johnson is the top candidate to fill Ingram's role in the starting lineup. He's averaged 6.8 points and 3.3 rebounds with the Pels after New Orleans acquired him via trade with the Dallas Mavericks on March 25.