The New Orleans Pelicans had built up hope with how well they were playing in the middle of the 2023-24 season that it became all the more frustrating when their season turned sour in the end once more. Zion Williamson's injury in the play-in tournament contest against the Los Angeles Lakers ground their contending aspirations to a screeching halt, and in the end, the Pelicans became way too overmatched against the first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder — with Brandon Ingram's stock taking a massive dip in the process.
Now, Ingram is in the final year of his deal, and the Pelicans, instead of losing him for nothing, appears to be doing whatever they can to shop the former All-Star in the trade market. Ingram may be a talented player, but the Pelicans have no intention, as per reports, of paying him what he's demanding — a contract worth $210 million over four years.
The Pelicans aren't alone in this reluctance; per NBA insider Marc Stein, they haven't found a team that's willing to cave in to Brandon Ingram's contract demands. As a result, even Ingram's camp is being proactive in helping find a new home for the 26-year-old forward, with his representation searching for a team that's looking to sign him to a huge contract extension to facilitate a trade with New Orleans.
Alas, in the financial landscape of today's NBA, it may be impossible to find a team that will be willing to pay Ingram upwards of $50 million per year, especially in the aftermath of a terrible end to the 2023-24 season. He needed to step up in the aftermath of Williamson, and whatever the opposite of stepping up is was what the 26-year-old forward did instead. He may have been coming off injuries, but his poor body language and inability to do much of anything against Luguentz Dort did not help his value whatsoever.
It's unclear how much the increased involvement from Ingram's camp would influence a potential trade. But it's becoming increasingly more likely in light of this development that Ingram is no longer a Pelican at the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
Brandon Ingram's potential trade destinations, analyzed
It behooves any team in search of a do-it-all, shot-creating wing to call the Pelicans and inquire about what it would take to bring Brandon Ingram on board. Ingram averaged 20.8 points. 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season, and as a three-level scorer, he would give any team a higher floor on the offensive end.
One team that still comes to mind is the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs and Pelicans remain one of the most logical trade partners in the association. Breaking up the Jarrett Allen-Evan Mobley pairing has long been a point of discussion, and trading Allen away for the chance to get their long-term small forward alongside Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, could be worth the Cavs' while.
However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN noted that the Cavs will have to dip into the second tax apron if they were to give Ingram a contract extension. Mobley is due for a contract extension as well, now that he's entering the fourth season of his career. With teams unwilling to give Ingram a four-year, $210 million deal, perhaps the 26-year-old forward agrees to sign an extension at a lower value. But will the Cavs have enough financial leeway to pull it off?
Other than the Cavs, teams such as Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, and even the Los Angeles Lakers could be those to watch out for. The Clippers may be more in need of a true power forward to spare Kawhi Leonard the responsibility of lining up at the four, but losing Paul George has left a huge shot-creation void for them on the wing.
Meanwhile, the Rockets have not been shy when it comes to their rumored pursuit of a superstar player. However, they may be setting their sights on better player than the Pelicans forward, with their prime targets being Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The Heat and Lakers always manage to find their way into these conversations given their yearly pressure to win big.
How is the Pelicans' roster shaping up?
The Pelicans made a huge move earlier in the offseason when they dealt away Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., and two first-round picks for Dejounte Murray. Murray makes the Pelicans seven deep, with Ingram, CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, and Jose Alvarado all guaranteed to get heavy burn, with Jordan Hawkins perhaps warranting minutes in Year 2.
But the Pelicans' center rotation is still questionable at best; will they actually start one of Yves Missi, Daniel Theis, or Jeremiah Robinson-Earl at the five?
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