NBA
Toronto’s Brandon Ingram has been cleared for contact after a serious ankle injury in 2024-25
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated7 hours ago on July 11, 2025
To begin the 2024-25 season, Brandon Ingram was a member of the Pelicans. He played and started just 18 games for New Oreland last year due to an ankle injury.
At the trade deadline, the Pelicans parted ways with Ingram after six seasons. The veteran was moved to the Raptors but did not appear in a game for Toronto. They decided it was in their best interest to shut down Ingram and have him ready for the 2025-26 season. Josh Lewenberg of Toronto Sports Network reported that Brandon Ingram has been cleared for contact. He’ll begin scrimmaging again in the coming days.
Brandon Ingram is on track to play for the Raptors in 2025-26
Brandon Ingram Cleared For Contact, Will Begin Scrimmaging Soon https://t.co/JESvqNfxvh
— RealGM (@RealGM) July 11, 2025
With the second pick in the 2016 NBA draft, the Lakers selected Brandon Ingram out of Duke. He played the first three seasons of his career for Los Angeles. Ahead of the 2019-20 season, Ingram was involved in a blockbuster trade for the Lakers to acquire Anthony Davis. In that deal, Brandon Ingram was sent to the Pelicans. The veteran SF played six seasons with New Orleans.
He averaged 23.8 points per game in his first season with the Pelicans and earned his only career all-star selection. His final season with New Orleans is not how Ingram wants to be remembered. He started just 18 games last season and missed significant time with an ankle injury. At the trade deadline, New Orleans traded Ingram to the Raptors. The 27-year-old did not appear in a single game for Toronto after he was traded.
Brandon Ingram has been cleared for contact, per @RealGM
The return 🔥 pic.twitter.com/mQVCLTKeY4
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 11, 2025
While Ingram didn’t suit up for the Raptors, he’s used the time to rehab and recover. Recently, head coach Darko Rajakovic said that Ingram is “pain-free” and that he’s in “a really great spot.” This is a positive sign for the Raptors. Rajakovic noted that Ingram has been doing individual work with the team and has been cleared for contact. He’ll begin scrimmaging again shortly.
At his best, Brandon Ingram is a legitimate #1 scoring option who can put up 20+ points with ease. However, staying healthy has been an uphill battle over the last three seasons. In total, Ingram has missed 119 games since the start of 2022-23. Can the SF stay healthy in 2025-26 and be a top player for the Raptors? RJ Barrett led the team offensively with 21.1 points per game last season. Where will Ingram fit in with a team that already has several players who can average 20+ points per game?
