LOS ANGELES (AP) 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.
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 play.
Inram is averaging a career-best 18.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game along with 3.0 assists.
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.
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 + games for the final playoff spot, meaning James likely will miss the postseason for the first time since 2005.
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