Big Update Given On Joe Ingles' Status
Suffering a torn ACL in his left knee last season while playing with the Utah Jazz, veteran wing Joe Ingles has been working hard to get back out on the floor.
Now with the Milwaukee Bucks after signing a mid-level exception deal in the offseason, Ingles is close to getting back out on the floor.
Ahead of the Bucks’ recent game against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, head coach Mike Budenholzer talked with The Athletic’s Eric Nehm about Ingles’ status and when he could potentially be ready to make his season debut, especially since he has been sent to the G League for practice and reps in recent weeks.
“I think it’s fair to say he’s getting close,” Budenholzer said in regards to Ingles’ status. “I mean, if you’re playing with our G League group and you’re playing five on five and live action — but again, you know, you’ve got to get to a conditioning level to be ready to play in an NBA game.
“You’ve got to get kind of, I would say, a significant number of reps of just playing and doing things and building up just everything that it takes to go into playing an NBA game.”
The Bucks have not given a specific target date for when Joe Ingles could make his season debut, but it is expected that his return will come in Milwaukee.
Now in his ninth NBA season, the 35-year-old may not be as durable as he once was when he returns from this ACL injury, but Ingles is still regarded as an elite-level three-point shooter.
Last season with the Jazz, Ingles was shooting 34.7 percent from three-point range prior to his knee injury and for his career, the veteran has shot 40.8 percent from three-point range.
Milwaukee is once again one of the better teams in the entire NBA, which will allow for Joe Ingles to gradually work his way back to full speed. Having extra depth on the wing with Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton and others, Ingles should be able to solely focus on being a high-level catch-and-shoot three-point shooter for the Bucks.
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