The New Orleans Pelicans are on the cusp of some major changes this season, and Brandon Ingram may be the first domino to fall. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks, finding a new team for Ingram has become a top priority for the Pelicans ahead of February’s deadline.
“Right now, the 5-28 Pelicans, whose playoff hopes have been destroyed by a series of injuries to the rotation, are focused on moving one of Williamson’s teammates ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Finding a trade for injured forward Brandon Ingram, a one-time All-Star in a contract year whose extension talks have repeatedly fizzled, is the priority for the Pelicans’ front office, sources told ESPN.”
The NBA trade deadline is just a few weeks away and the Pelicans are one of several teams expected to be active in talks. At 5-28 this season, the Pels are dead last in the West and a whopping 11.5 games back from the final play-in spot. After a series of trades over the years to harness talent around Zion Williamson, the Pelicans don’t have a whole lot of assets to offer but Ingram is by far their biggest trade chip.
The 27-year-old forward was drafted 2nd overall in 2016 and has developed into one of the best-scoring forwards in the game. This season, through 18 games, he’s averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game on 46.5% shooting.
The veteran forward arrived back in 2019 after three seasons with the Lakers. Alongside Zion Williamson and veterans like CJ McCollum, Ingram has given Pelicans fans hope for a more competitive future in the Western Conference. In the 2022-23 campaign, they even had a run as the first seed in the West before injuries derailed their season.
While Ingram has been a reliable player for the Pels, his partnership with Zion has not brought the kind of success that they were expecting. Thanks to injuries, powerful superteams, and other factors, the team has been unable to get over the hump and now there is a growing sense that their opportunity to make a title run has already passed.
We know from earlier reports that the Pelicans have been shopping most of their star-studded core, but it seems they are now dead-set on finding a new home for Ingram. The only question now is which teams will step up with a reasonable offer.
After parting ways with their head coach and trying to bench their newest arrival, DeMar DeRozan, halfway through the season it’s clear that the Kings are looking for some reinforcements and Ingram could give them the boost they desire. As a versatile and consistent scorer, he would surely help the Kings revitalize their once historically great offense.
If not to Sacramento, Ingram might also find himself back in Los Angeles with the Purple and Gold. As a former Laker, Ingram already knows what it’s like to play for the legendary franchise and his return could help them take another step up in the Western Conference.
With the future so uncertain for Ingram and the Pelicans, it’s impossible to predict where he’ll end up but it won’t be long before he’s got full control of his future. With just one year, $36 million left on his deal, he’ll be up for free agency in the summer of 2025 and the Pelicans are determined to get some value for him while they still can.
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