New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has been spending a lot of time on social media and the purpose has not exactly been clear. Two of the newest Instagram posts are also of the subtle variety but they got the attention of any fan of the Pelicans. Those fans are all asking the same questions, again: Should the front office be worried about these posts?
There are ways the Pelicans can make Ingram work with Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy. Those five are the foundation for the future. If Ingram wants to stick around there will seemingly have to be financial and on-court sacrifices made. Taking less money and more three-pointers is just the start. Instead, Ingram's posts seem to highlight was has been done in the past.
“Everyone can talk. Ask them what they've done,” Jay-Z begins. “It was 365 days last year and I can tell you exactly what I've done. Let me tell you, everything I've done in the last year to create change. I can tell you the amount of people I've saved from going to jail…”
The second Instagram story was just a screenshot of Ingram's phone playing To Whom It May Concern from the album Trust the Process by Ace Hood. It's hard to trust the process when communicating through social media smokescreens though.
Pelicans pushing luck with training camp contract friction
Ingram is entering the final year of a five-year, $158 million rookie scale contract extension with the Pelicans. New Orleans has been very hesitant to offer another max-level deal to the former second-overall pick. The one-time All-Star has been included in practically every trade rumor segment since news of Ingram's tepid market broke.
This recent late summer social media activity seems to reflect his frustration with the team’s reluctance to commit to him long-term. Conservations have lingered all offseason. Now, these Instagram stories have done nothing but sparked significant speculation that there could be friction heading into training camp. Ingram skipping out on voluntary workouts after years of being the lead organizer only added fuel to the fire.
The initial post featured a clip from a motivational speaker discussing the importance of recognizing one’s value. The speech emphasized finding and valuing people and places that appreciate one’s talent. Stick to your true worth and everything will all work out, essentially.
“You cannot stay in environments where people don’t know the true value of you,” the speaker declared. “If you stay in environments where people don’t recognize the value of you, you will shrink your gift to the size of what they can stand.”
Ingram’s posts come at a critical time for the Pelicans. The team is trying to build a competitive roster around Williamson, Murray, Murphy, and Jones. Ingram could be a big piece of a championship puzzle. However, his recent social media activity suggests that he may be considering free agency options next summer. The Pelicans would then be under pressure to find a trade before the deadline. Meeting contract demands would no longer be their problem.
However, even that strategy presents a dilemma for the small-market Pelicans. On one hand, they need to manage their finances carefully to build a sustainable team while likely having to avoid the luxury tax. On the other hand, losing a player of Ingram’s caliber for nothing could set them back significantly.
Will the next social media post be cryptic, news of a consolidation trade, or of a new contract? Only one person truly knows that answer.
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