The New Orleans Pelicans showed glimpses of their full potential when they made the playoffs in 2022, but they were unable to live up to expectations during the 2022-23 season due to injuries. Preparing for the start of the 2023-24 season, the Pelicans will not only be getting Zion Williamson back on the floor, but former All-Star forward Brandon Ingram is also 100 percent and ready to make a difference.
Due to the team's recent misfortunes, New Orleans found themselves at the center of offseason trade rumors, specifically around the time of the NBA Draft. The idea of moving up and grabbing one of this year's top prospects intrigued the Pelicans, which is why Ingram and others found themselves involved in these offseason rumors.
In terms of being traded, Ingram never seemed to be worried that his time in New Orleans was coming to an end, as he recently talked with Will Guillory from The Athletic about his relationship with the team and the front office.
“With me, I’m not on social media that much. So people will make a joke about it sometimes, or hit me up and ask me what’s going on with this thing they saw on TV,” Ingram said. “Most of the time, I’ll hear from the front office when that stuff pops up and they’ll tell me exactly what’s going on and how to feel about it. Any information that’s out there, they’ll clarify it and tell me if it was true or false.”
Ingram has been with the Pelicans organization since the start of the 2019-20 season and he's continued to turn himself into one of the better combo forwards in this league. While he has seven years of experience under his belt and is one of the veteran leaders of his team, the former second overall pick is still just 25 years old and will turn 26 in September. New Orleans values what they have with Ingram and the star wing knows his role with the team, which is why trade rumors including his name did not bother him.
“I’ve got a good relationship with (Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin). He’ll come straight to me and tell me anything,” Ingram elaborated. “I’m not too into what everybody was putting out there, but none of it bothered me. I also know this is a business, though, and I’ve got to be prepared for anything.”
The Pelicans ended the 2022-23 season with a 42-40 record, good enough for the 9-seed in the Western Conference. They ultimately fell in the play-in tournament, losing their first elimination game at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Health played a big factor in this team missing the playoffs, but earlier in the season when they had their full roster, the Pelicans were 23-12 and one of the best teams in the Western Conference. This team is more than capable of taking a big step forward during the upcoming season and if we know anything, it is that Ingram will be at the center of their potential success.
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