The New Orleans Pelicans are going to be a team to watch closely over the next few weeks. While the frenzy period of the NBA offseason has come and gone, the trade market could heat up in the near future.
Brandon Ingram was a name many expected to be moved coming into the offseason. It seemed like a forgone conclusion that he would not be back with the Pelicans for next year. However, no trade has been made and Ingram remains with the team.
Some reports have even suggested that the star forward and New Orleans could get an extension done.
While that report was made recently, another has come out that suggests the contrary.
It sounds like a trade involving Ingram is still very much a possibility.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, not only are the Pelicans still searching the trade market, Ingram’s camp has now joined them in trying to find a new destination for the forward.
If New Orleans is unable to work out a deal that they feel comfortable with, they would prefer to move on from Ingram. At this point, it sounds like extension talks have not gone super well.
During the 2023-24 NBA season, Ingram ended up playing in 64 contests. He averaged 20.8 points per game to go along with 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds. In addition to those averages, Ingram shot 49.2 percent from the floor and 35.5 percent from the three-point line.
At 26 years old, it has been surprising to see the lack of interest around the NBA in a trade for the star. He will command a massive contract, but he has a skillset that can take a team from good to great.
It will be interesting to see if the Pelicans and Ingram will be able to find a trade destination. Unfortunately, with both sides looking for a trade, it doesn’t sound like Ingram will be a part of turning the franchise back into a serious Western Conference contender.
Expect to continue hearing rumors and speculation about the dynamic scoring forward in the coming weeks. New Orleans would clearly like to move him if they can find the right deal. Perhaps that will come with the free agency market drying up.