You have to feel for Brandon Ingram. It was already a tough break dealing with a heel issue that took him out late in the Raptors’ 2026 playoff run, especially after the sample of play he showed before then was far from stellar. Of course, at first glance, there were many who were disappointed by his output (myself included), after he was largely a major catalyst in turning this Toronto core around.

For one, Ingram worked hard to flip the script on doubters who questioned his availability, suiting up in 77 games for the Raptors: the most he’d played in an NBA season since his 2016-17 rookie year. And the next stage of BI’s coming-out party in Toronto would hinge on the 2026 postseason results and his contributions.

But BI’s otherwise strong 2025–26 campaign, which even earned him a spot as a 2026 All-Star replacement, was a different story against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Over the five games he was able to play in that series, he fell off dramatically, averaging just 12.0 points on 32.8 percent shooting from the field, along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. 

Like I said, even for me, it was hard not to consider pivoting from the Ingram experiment after his weak showing and Toronto proving they could still put up a decent fight without him. Now, some five months later, with Ingram now in Los Angeles after headlining the Kawhi Leonard trade package, we know what was likely a key factor in his glaring playoff struggles.

Brandon Ingram’s 2026 postseason struggles take on a new meaning after Achilles injury news

The Raptors and Clippers reportedly knew the full picture when they worked out the trade details this summer. For everyone else, the news coming out of Media Day came as a shock: it was revealed that Brandon Ingram’s diagnosis and surgery had uncovered a partial tear in his Achilles alongside the original right heel issue. At the time of the 2026 playoffs, the Achilles issue wasn’t known. It was clear BI was dealing with something and trying to push through it, but reports had simply pointed to a heel issue.

At Media Day, Ingram said: “I had been dealing with some pain throughout the year with the Raptors and especially coming down in crunch time. I didn’t quite know what it was. Near the end of the season, we figured out what it was. We thought surgery was the best thing to do.”

Knowing Ingram was battling an Achilles injury would’ve definitely changed how many people viewed his playoff struggles. Though, the calls to move on may have still been a key talking point (this is a serious injury, even if it was only a partial tear), and as I noted in my last piece, it’s looking like an even bigger stroke of genius on the Raptors’ part to have pulled off a high-upside trade with an otherwise tanked-value asset.

Nevertheless, in hindsight, it’s tough to fault a player for trying to push through a major injury, and BI clearly wasn’t himself in the postseason. What might’ve seemed like another case of Ingram failing to rise to the moment now looks far more complicated. All you can hope for now is that he makes a speedy recovery, and that we look back on Brandon Ingram’s one-year rental in Toronto with a bit more grace.

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