The New Orleans Pelicans might make a move at the NBA trade deadline, according to NBA insider Bobby Marks. Even though the Pelicans might trade Brandon Ingram due to his contract, there is more to the story. Marks explained on The Hoop Collective Podcast about why he believes New Orleans should make a deal.

“If you’re New Orleans right now, you have essentially 2 choices,” Marks said. “You could keep Ingram and figure out something in the off-season in a sign and trade or you could look to move him but probably at a less than desirable package.

“I think the biggest thing for them is that when you have the Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, and Zion, and Trey Murphy extension, they’re not in a position to take money back that extends long term here. They’re going to make a trade 100%, they’re going to get under the luxury tax.”

The 12-38 Pelicans are in 14th place in the Western Conference. They are 10 games behind the Trail Blazers in the win column which are one spot in front of them. With the flurry of injuries and contract disputes, it might be time for New Orleans to pull the plug.

Bobby Marks sees a Pelicans trade happening soon

One of the biggest names throughout the process has been Ingram. After all, Ingram didn't agree to the Pelicans' $50 million per year contract extension. That's a hefty price tag, but there might be more to the story. He's in his 9th year in the league and his 6th with the Pelicans.

The furthest they've been was the 2022 playoffs against the Phoenix Suns. Since that time, there's been a mix of injuries to multiple stars. Even at the beginning of the season, the Pelicans had 8 players ruled out for a game. Although that's unpredictable, it's not a recipe for success.

Going back to the luxury tax discussion, the Pelicans have never been in that position before. Although winning teams are in that predicament, New Orleans isn't. However, if they keep their current roster, they'll have to pay the luxury tax. For a team that is 26 games below .500, that's not something to be thankful for.

At the end of the day, the NBA trade deadline has shown major unpredictability. Still, this can be one of the more predictable moves if it takes place. The Pelicans have until Thursday to strike a deal with another team. If that happens, it'll be a hard reset for the franchise.