The Toronto Raptors pulled off one of the NBA's biggest moves of the offseason in June, agreeing to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and a massive haul of draft capital to the Los Angeles Clippers for Kawhi Leonard. But the blockbuster came with a major catch: the deal couldn't become official until the NBA completed its investigation into Leonard and the Clippers over his $28 million endorsement agreement with Aspiration. The league finally delivered its verdict in September, handing down significant penalties to both the Clippers and Leonard.
With that hurdle cleared, the trade was officially completed, sending Leonard back to Toronto, where he won his first championship with the franchise in 2019. He subsequently signed a two-year, $115 million extension with the Raptors. Now, however, one of the biggest pieces headed to Los Angeles is facing a major setback before the Clippers have even played a game with him.
Ingram underwent right heel surgery in May, and his recovery is now expected to keep him out for the start of the 2026-27 season, as the team also discovered he had a partially torn Achilles. He's expected to be sidelined for around six months. More news: Dylan Harper Reveals True Feelings on Sixth Man Role With Spurs Ingram was coming off one of the best seasons of his career, and now the Clippers are already facing questions about when they'll actually get to see their new star on the court.
In his lone season with Toronto, Ingram appeared in 77 games and averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 33.8 minutes per game, shooting 47.7% from the field and 38.2% from three. He led the Raptors in scoring and earned his second career All-Star selection. It was a major bounce-back campaign for Ingram after his time in New Orleans was derailed by injuries and inconsistency.
He had appeared in just 18 games during the 2024-25 season. More news: Bucks Sent Ominous Warning Amid Gary Trent Jr Investigation More news: Kevin Durant Makes Feelings Clear on Potential Rockets Minutes Restriction Now, though, the Clippers are dealing with another health concern before Ingram has even suited up for his new team. He underwent surgery on his right heel in May, and recent reports indicate the injury could affect his availability to begin the 2026-27 season.
That's brutal for LA because Ingram was the centerpiece of the package it received for Leonard. After waiting more than two months for the blockbuster to become official, the Clippers could now have to wait even longer to see the player they acquired even hit the court.
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