Lakers’ Brandon Ingram out for season with deep venous thrombosis
FILE – In this Monday, Feb. 25, 2019, file photo, Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram (14) plays in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn. Ingram will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a deep venous thrombosis in his right arm, the Lakers announced Saturday, March 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a deep venous thrombosis in his right arm.
The Lakers announced their decision on the former No. 2 overall draft pick Saturday.
Ingram has missed the Lakers’ past two games after he reported shoulder pain following a morning shootaround last Monday. Lakers coach Luke Walton said earlier this week that Ingram had pain whenever he attempted to lift his arm.
A deep venous thrombosis is a condition caused by a blood clot, frequently accompanied by swelling and pain in a limb. The condition usually occurs in legs, but can occur in the upper body.
Walton did nothing to quell Lakers fans’ concerns about the seriousness of the 21-year-old Ingram’s health problem when he pointedly refused to provide any details while speaking to reporters before Los Angeles’ home game against Boston.
“We’ve released what he’s got going on, but I’m not going to get into all the details,” Walton said. “I’m just finding out a lot of it myself. All I’m going to say on him right now is that he’s out for the rest of the season.”
Walton said he spoke to the Lakers about Ingram’s condition, but he wouldn’t characterize the team meeting, or even describe how Ingram was reacting to his diagnosis.
“The details aren’t mine to give,” Walton said.
Blood clots have affected several prominent athletes including Chris Bosh and Serena Williams in recent years. Bosh eventually retired due to blood clotting issues, but many other athletes have continued to compete.
Ingram is averaging a career-best 18.3 points and 5.1 rebounds along with 3.0 assists, and the lanky swingman’s chemistry with LeBron James has improved markedly over the course of the season despite several weeks of trade rumors linking Ingram and the rest of the Lakers’ top young players to a deal for New Orleans superstar Anthony Davis. Ingram particularly excelled after the All-Star break and the trade deadline, averaging 27.8 points in his six most recent games.
But injuries have played a major role in preventing the Lakers from developing any consistency during James’ first season alongside their young core.
Los Angeles might be without Lonzo Ball for the rest of the season due to a sprained ankle. Ball hasn’t played since Jan. 19, and Walton said Friday that the point guard is “not close” to returning despite an initial diagnosis of his injury suggesting he would be back by now.
Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers’ second-leading scorer with 18.8 points per game, also is out this week with a sprained ankle. Walton confirmed Kuzma won’t play against Boston.
The Lakers are 15-8 with James, Ball and Ingram all in their lineup, but they’ve largely struggled whenever one of the trio is out.
The Lakers (30-35) are in 10th place in the Western Conference heading into their rivalry meeting with Boston on Saturday night. They trail San Antonio by 6 1/2 games for the final playoff spot, meaning James likely will miss the postseason for the first time since 2005.
