Brandon Ingram's Achilles Injury: Timeline, Return Date and the Trade That Brought Him to LA
Brandon Ingram has yet to suit up for the Clippers this season, sidelined by a partially torn Achilles with an estimated return of November 8, 2026. He arrived in Los Angeles as part of the trade that completed the Kawhi Leonard deal with Toronto, and the Clippers have won their first two games without him on the floor.
By the Clippers Nightly Desk · updated 6 d ago01The story of the nightWhere Things StandBrandon Ingram is out for the Clippers with a partially torn Achilles, logged as a leg injury.
Brandon Ingram is out for the Clippers with a partially torn Achilles, logged as a leg injury. The current estimate has him back on November 8, 2026. Joey Linn of SI.com reported that Ingram would not be ready for the start of the regular season because of the partial tear. That has held up so far: Ingram did not play in the Clippers' October 4 win over the Warriors or their October 14 win over the Nuggets, both logged at 0 minutes. At 29 years old and in his tenth season, Ingram is still working his way back into game shape before he debuts in a Clippers uniform.
02The Injury TimelineIngram's current Achilles situation did not appear out of nowhere.
Ingram's current Achilles situation did not appear out of nowhere. On September 14, he was listed day-to-day with a right heel and leg issue. By September 28, that had become a day-to-day designation for the Achilles and leg, which then turned into an official Out designation the same day. Tomer Azarly reported around that time that Ingram would miss the start of the regular season with a partially torn Achilles. The progression from heel soreness to a day-to-day Achilles tag to a confirmed partial tear and an Out label shows a problem that developed and worsened over about two weeks in September.
03How He Got to the ClippersIngram is new to the Clippers this season after spending last year with Toronto.
Ingram is new to the Clippers this season after spending last year with Toronto. Shams Charania reported on September 14 that the Clippers and Raptors had agreed to complete the Kawhi Leonard trade, the deal that brought Ingram over from Toronto. He now wears number 7 for Los Angeles, listed as a 6-8, 190-pound forward out of Duke. He has not yet played a game for his new team because of the Achilles injury, so Clippers fans are still waiting to see him in the rotation for the first time.
04What He Brought Last SeasonLast season, playing for Toronto, Ingram appeared in 77 games and averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists…
Last season, playing for Toronto, Ingram appeared in 77 games and averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 33.8 minutes. He shot 47.7 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from three and 82.0 percent from the foul line, with a true shooting mark of 57.3 percent on a 26.4 usage rate. He also chipped in 0.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per game, with 2.4 turnovers and a plus-0.6 net rating. Late last season he had stretches of big scoring nights, including a 38-point game against Miami on April 9 and a 25-point, 9-rebound game against Brooklyn on April 12, mixed in with quieter outings in the Cleveland series.
05The Clippers Without Him So FarLos Angeles has opened the season 2-0 in the two games logged so far, beating the Warriors on October 4 and the…
Los Angeles has opened the season 2-0 in the two games logged so far, beating the Warriors on October 4 and the Nuggets on October 14, both without Ingram on the floor. There is some encouraging news on the recovery front: an October 15 report said Ingram has returned to on-court work, a sign he is progressing toward the November 8 target. Until he is cleared to play, the Clippers are getting by without their new forward, and the next milestone to watch is whether that on-court work turns into a return to full practice and then game action.
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