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Brandon Ingram has been a foundational piece for the New Orleans Pelicans since being acquired in the 2019 Anthony Davis trade. The former second-overall pick has been consistently impressive, showing growth in various aspects of his game. Unfortunately, the past year has been a difficult one for the 26-year-old. Trade winds have been blowing through the Big Easy regarding Ingram, but the Pelicans are determined to help him reclaim his All-Star form next to Zion Williamson.
It's tough to predict how the Pelicans will finish next season. Everyone around the league seems ready to accept that Ingram will start the campaign with the Crescent City crew. EVP David Griffin is not giving an inch in the trade market or contract extension talks. It's led to a stalemate of sorts but the front office plans to let things sort themselves out on the court.
“I think from a relationship standpoint, we've been really clear we'd prefer Brandon stays with us. Brandon has been pretty clear he prefers to stay with us. At the same time, there is a financial reality to this, and where I think we can go in terms of keeping this group together might not be as far as he and his agency would like us to be able to go,” Griffin explained. “And so, for now, we're going to play it out. I think we're committed to each other. I think we're committed to seeing if this team can work in a way that makes it make sense.”
The Ingram/Williamson pairing has shown flashes of brilliance, but their synergy has often been inconsistent. With the addition of Dejounte Murray, a proven ball-handler, neither Ingram nor Williamson will need to focus heavily on playmaking duties. This allows them to play to their strengths—Ingram as a versatile scorer and Williamson as a dominant inside presence.
So what are Ingram's work orders going into training camp, and why are coaches pushing those directives? Let's break down three ways Ingram's role can change for the better.
Brandon Ingram gets buckets
Ingram, who had a standout 2019-20 season averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, has seen fluctuations in his performance over the years. His 2021-22 season was solid (22.7 PTS, 5.8 REB, 5.6 APG) but the 2023-24 season saw a dip to 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. A high of 24.7 points per game in 2022-23 has to be the goal again next season. Nothing buys All-Star votes better than getting buckets after all.
Ingram’s scoring has been a highlight of his game. Over the past four seasons, he has consistently averaged over 20 points per game. His field goal percentage has also seen an improvement, reaching 49.2 percent in the 2023-2024 season. Oddly, Ingram shot a career-low from the free-throw line (80.1 percent) one season after a career-high (88.2 percent). Adding a couple of extra easy points from the charity stripe will go a long way to winning over skeptics who only look at stat sheets.
Dunks, three-pointers, and free throws (Ds, 3, and Frees) are the most efficient shots in the game. Ingram can get to the rim, has been above 39 percent from three-point range in three seasons, and can flirt with 90 percent from the free-throw line. A 50/40/90 season is a possibility. The Pelicans need more of those shots and fewer mid-range maybes though. Ingram scored over 25 percent of all points using those 10-20 foot shots defenses dare everyone to take, for a reason.
Ingram's Work Order: Improving the free-throw percentage is one big step toward becoming a top-20 scorer. He was two points per game from 13th overall in 2022-23. Ingram could finally top 25 points per game in 2025, even in this restructured offensive hierarchy. It starts with the fundamentals of making more than 80 out of every 100 free throws. For someone seeking a new contract that is a lot of free money being left on the line, literally.
Commitment to the Three-Point Shot
The mid-range game is not dead, but heavy doses from Ingram turn medicine into a poison. The reps needed before the NBA Playoffs go wasted, leading to a 25 percent mark from beyond the arc in a sweep. Ingram made 216 shots from between 10-19 feet last season. He averaged less than two made threes per game (1.4) and that math doesn't add up in this pace-and-space era.
Jordan Hawkins (109) sank more total threes than Ingram (86) in far fewer minutes. Lu Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder locked down Ingram during the postseason, and even he found a way to make 156 threes during the regular season.
Ingram's lack of three-point shooting has been under the microscope for two full seasons. The Pelicans have been encouraging the mid-range maestro to take more three-point shots to stretch the floor and create more scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. The directives just have not taken hold.
In the 2023-24 season, he shot 35.5 percent from beyond the arc, a respectable figure, but one that can be improved. Volume from his All-Star season (6.1 3PA) was down considerably (3.8), and it's clear that taking just one more three-pointer per half would open up a world of possibilities. His three-point shot frequency was just over 23 percent, which all but allowed defenses to sag toward the paint. Ingram was too likely to pass up a good shot.
Ingram's Work Order: Take more threes or risk being traded to a lottery team with no viable plans for Ingram ever becoming an All-Star on a playoff team again.
Pelicans need clean glass
Ingram’s rebounding and playmaking abilities have been noteworthy but perhaps not always used most efficiently. He has averaged around five rebounds and five assists per game over the past four seasons, with his highest assist rate coming in the 2022-2023 season when he averaged 5.8 assists per game, showcasing his ability to facilitate the offense. But that is not what this current team needs from a 6-foot-9, 200-pound athletic marvel.
The Pelicans need Ingram to lean more into rebounding and less into ball handling this season. Finding open teammates will only get easier with Murray leading the team's offense. Ingram's assists numbers have leveled out over the past three seasons, sitting between 5.6 and 5.8 dimes per night. Expect about the same next year. Worry about how rebounds per game have been a downward trend since 2019-20, when he averaged 6.1 boards per game.
Committing fewer than 150 turnovers after last season's 163 in 64 games has to be a priority now that Murray is running the offense. Ingram was the 112th-best rebounder in the league last season, but he has top-50 potential. Creating extra possessions by making extra efforts on both ends of the court will help Ingram's All-Star campaign, while also leading to an increase in wins.
Ingram's Work Order: Rebound and Run! Or find a way to wrestle away at least one offensive rebound per game. The last time Ingram hit that mark, he was named the NBA's Most Improved Player.
A couple of free throws, one three-pointer, and one rebound more. That's all it would take for Ingram to post an undeniable All-Star caliber 27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists type stat line without suffocating the offense.
Ingram’s last 18 months have been anything but restful. He took on the challenge of leading Team USA at the FIBA World Cup, which proved to be a grueling experience. That was sandwiched between two NBA Playoffs runs where Ingram had to shoulder a lot of the burdens, and blame, alone. Williamson was on the sidelines nursing another injury this past season.
It has not gone unnoticed by the decision-makers in the building, even if it's gone underappreciated by most of the country. The organization has a clear plan to help Brandon Ingram return to his All-Star form. Improving his two-way chemistry with Williamson, reducing his ball-handling duties with the addition of Murray, and an emphasis on three-point shooting are the three main ingredients to a successful season.
The Pelicans have spent years setting the stage for Ingram to thrive. New Orleans needs that investment to pay off, or the front office will suffer through a few more months of trade speculation.
