Pelicans Trade Rumors: New Orleans Prioritizing Brandon Ingram Trade

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly focused on finding a suitable trade partner for veteran forward Brandon Ingram, who is in the midst of his contract year. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks, trading Ingram “is the priority” for the Pelicans prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

Pelicans Trade Rumors: Brandon Ingram Seeks A Four-Year, $200 Million Contract Extension

Earlier this month, Ingram signed with Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports Group. The 6-foot-8 Ingram was previously represented by Excel Sports Management.

Ingram was selected No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2016 NBA draft out of Duke. After his first three seasons in 2019, the Lakers traded him to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis.

The 27-year-old signed a five-year, $158.25 million maximum contract extension with New Orleans in 2020, but the team has been unable to come to terms on another new deal.

This means trading Ingram is the most logical move for New Orleans, so the team doesn’t lose him for nothing in free agency. The nine-year veteran suffered a high-grade low left ankle sprain in early December, and he has missed New Orleans’ past nine games.

Brandon Ingram landing with the Spurs is still very much a strong possibility leading up to February’s trade deadline. https://t.co/S9melJyTIE

— Jake Weinbach (@JWeinbachNBA) December 31, 2024

Per MacMahon and Marks, the Sacramento Kings recently inquired about Ingram, along with Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Cam Johnson (Brooklyn Nets), and Kyle Kuzma (Washington Wizards). The San Antonio Spurs are another potential landing spot for Ingram as well, reports NBA insider Jake Weinbach.

Even then, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the Pelicans have struggled to find a team that’s willing to take on Ingram’s current salary and meet his future contract demands of a four-year, $200 million extension.

“Finding a place where New Orleans can send Ingram’s $36 million salary and get value while also reducing salary — the Pelicans are currently in the luxury tax for the first time ever and not likely to stay there — is hard enough. But finding a deal with a team Ingram will be comfortable signing a new contract with has also stalled talks, per sources,” wrote Bontemps and Windhorst.

Ingram Has Only Played In 65 Or More Games Just Once

When healthy this season, Brandon Ingram has continued to play at a high level, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 18 games (all starts). The Duke product has also shot 46.5% from the field and 37.4% from beyond the arc.

For the bad news, Ingram has dealt with multiple injuries over the past four years. The North Carolina native has played in 65 or more games in a season only once in his career, and not since his rookie campaign with the Lakers in 2016-17.

Last season, Ingram played in 64 games, which was the second-highest total of his career. However, he is projected to appear in fewer than 60 games for the third time in the past four seasons.

In 2019-20, he was the NBA’s Most Improved Player and was named an All-Star for the first and only time after averaging 23.8 points, a career-high 6.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steals.

Having said all of this, the Pelicans’ problems this season go beyond Ingram’s contract situation. New Orleans is a league-worst 5-28 mostly because the team lost its starting lineup to injuries.

In addition to Ingram missing time with an ankle injury, Zion Williamson (hamstring), Herb Jones (shoulder), Dejounte Murray (hand), Jose Alvarado (shoulder), and CJ McCollum (abductor) have all missed significant time.

Since the Pelicans might not ever get to know what they have at full strength, now is the perfect time for the team to acquire draft picks and players for Ingram before he becomes a free agent.