Pelicans star Brandon Ingram will be sidelined for approximately six-to-eight weeks after undergoing successful finger surgery on June 7, the team announced (via Twitter).
The surgery, which was performed in Los Angeles, was on Ingram’s “right fifth finger to address a flexion contracture.” According to the National Library of Medicine, flexion contracture of fingers are characterized by a “chronic loss of joint motion in a finger due to structural changes in non-bony tissue.”
Since it’s the offseason for New Orleans, the six-to-eight week recovery timeline means that Ingram should be fully healed and ready to go ahead of training camp in late September. The NBA hasn’t officially announced when training camps will begin, but that’s when they’ve taken place in the past.
Ingram had another strong season for the Pelicans in 2021-22. In 55 regular season games (34 minutes), he averaged 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on .461/.327/.826 shooting.
The 24-year-old was even better in the postseason for New Orleans, averaging 27 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on .475/.407/.830 shooting in 39.3 minutes per contest. Ingram helped lead the Pelicans to a surprisingly competitive first-round series against the Suns, but they ultimately fell in six games.
Ingram still has three years remaining on the maximum-salary contract extension he signed with the Pelicans in 2020, so he’s locked up until ’24-25. He’ll earn $31.65M in ’22-23.
More must-reads: