Despite quickly moving away from extension talks, the New Orleans Pelicans have “every intention” of keeping fourth-year forward Brandon Ingram long-term, vice-president David Griffin told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
Ingram's future was at one point murky, considering he had missed the latter part of his third season with a blood clot that could have put his NBA career at risk. The 6-foot-9 wing was traded before he could show he was viable to play again, but he's done that and more throughout this young season — averaging a team-leading 25.9 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game.
His value has skyrocketed from the end of last year to this 2019-20 season, and the gamble of allowing him to become a restricted free agent will cost the Pelicans when it comes to matching other teams' payday. Ingram will command more than just a pretty penny in the offseason, as the 22-year-old has shown he's got the athletic talent, the basketball savvy, and now the shooting touch to be a complete all-around player.
The Pelicans could arm themselves with a beefy roster consisting of No. 1 overall selection Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and Ingram — a core that should pay them back in bunches for trading Anthony Davis. Despite Wednesday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Pels could end up doing a whole lot more winning if they can secure Ingram's services like they intend to do.
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