NBA Training Camp Injury Report: Irving and Tatum Return as Clippers Lose Ingram

The 2026-27 NBA season tips off on October 20, and the most significant additions to several contenders are familiar faces. After a grueling 2025-26 campaign defined by high-profile absences, training camps have opened with a wave of medical clearances. For several franchises, the return of a sidelined cornerstone fundamentally alters their competitive ceiling.[1]

The Dallas Mavericks headline the list of beneficiaries, welcoming back star guard Kyrie Irving. Irving missed all 82 games last season after suffering a devastating torn ACL, leaving a massive playmaking void in the Dallas backcourt. Now, he returns to a reshaped roster as a full participant.[1]

According to NBC Sports, Irving has been cleared as a "full go" for the upcoming campaign. He joins a Mavericks squad that recently drafted highly touted prospect Cooper Flagg, creating a dynamic new pairing. The medical clearance removes the largest question mark hanging over the team's preseason preparations.[1]

Irving's availability is crucial for a Dallas offense that struggled to find secondary scoring last year. Having posted nine straight top-20 fantasy seasons prior to the injury, his ability to seamlessly integrate with Flagg will dictate the Mavericks' early-season success.[1]

Achilles recoveries clear major hurdles

The Boston Celtics and Portland Trail Blazers are celebrating similar milestones with their own returning stars. Jayson Tatum, who ruptured his Achilles in May 2025, managed a brief 16-game return late last season. He enters this training camp without restrictions, ready to assume a heavier offensive load following Jaylen Brown's departure to Philadelphia.[1]

Tatum's full clearance provides a massive boost to Boston's title aspirations. The Celtics leaned heavily on their depth during his absence, but integrating a fully healthy Tatum back into the primary scoring role is the coaching staff's top priority this October.[1]

In Portland, Damian Lillard is also back on the floor after an Achilles injury cost him the entire 2025-26 season. The 36-year-old guard returns to a Trail Blazers roster that surprisingly made the playoffs in his absence. His integration back into the lineup alongside Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan will be a central focus of Portland's camp.[1]

The Sacramento Kings received equally uplifting news regarding forward De'Andre Hunter. Hunter's 2025-26 season ended abruptly in February after just two games with the Kings due to a detached retina in his left eye. Following successful surgery and months of recovery, the 28-year-old is finally back to full contact.[3]

"It's been good. It feels good to be back out there again," Hunter told reporters after a recent practice. "My eye feels good. My health feels good. Just excited for the season."

Kings general manager Scott Perry confirmed Hunter's health ahead of camp, clearing the way for him to compete for a significant role on the wing. Sacramento acquired Hunter from Cleveland at last year's trade deadline, and a healthy campaign could justify the front office's heavy investment.[3]

Setbacks delay Ingram and Sharpe

While multiple stars are shedding their injury designations, the Los Angeles Clippers are navigating an unexpected absence. Newly acquired forward Brandon Ingram will miss the start of the season due to a partially torn right Achilles tendon. The injury was discovered during a May procedure to address a heel issue.

The Clippers acquired the two-time All-Star from the Toronto Raptors in a blockbuster trade involving Kawhi Leonard. However, the front office was caught off guard by the severity of his recovery timeline. Ingram is not expected to be reevaluated until late October or November.

"It wasn't until we got our hands on him here that we started to see where he was at with his progression," Clippers executive Trent Redden explained. "He won't be ready for the start of the season, and we'll reevaluate when we get there."

Ingram's absence forces Los Angeles to reconfigure its offensive hierarchy before the season even begins. Players like Darius Garland and Rui Hachimura will be asked to shoulder a larger scoring burden to compensate for the missing 21.5 points per game Ingram averaged last season.

The Portland Trail Blazers are also managing a significant preseason loss, dampening the excitement of Lillard's return. Guard Shaedon Sharpe suffered a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee during an individual workout in late August. Sharpe underwent successful surgery at UCLA and faces a lengthy rehabilitation process.[2]

The Trail Blazers announced that Sharpe will be reevaluated in six months, placing his potential return in late February 2027. The 23-year-old averaged a career-high 20.8 points per game last season before a stress fracture in his left fibula limited him to 50 appearances.[2]

Sharpe's absence removes a critical scoring threat from Portland's rotation just as the first year of his four-year, $90 million extension begins. The team will rely heavily on their veteran guards to navigate the opening months of the demanding 82-game schedule.[2]