With Kevin Durant pushing for a trade, numerous suitors around the league have emerged as candidates to land the 2x Finals MVP.
Among the interested parties is the New Orleans Pelicans, who have apparently shown some level of interest in trading for the disgruntled two-way veteran.
“The New Orleans Pelicans remain interested in a deal for Durant, according to a source, and can put together a compelling package around All-Star forward Brandon Ingram, role players like Herbert Jones, Devonte Graham, and Jose Alvarado, and the remaining draft compensation they received from both the Los Angeles Lakers in the Anthony Davis trade and the Milwaukee Bucks in the Jrue Holiday trade (NBA insider Kristian Winfield).”
Any deal for Durant would almost surely have to include either Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram, who are currently the two faces of Pelicans basketball.
Williamson is off the table for obvious reasons, but what about Ingram? Well, according to NOLA.com, they are unwilling to
“If Durant gets moved, the New Orleans Pelicans could be players in the sweepstakes, but that would likely require them to surrender Brandon Ingram. League sources say the Pelicans are unwilling to do so.”
There is no doubt that Brandon Ingram is a high-value player, but is he really worth abandoning the Durant pursuit over?
Last season, the guy averaged 22.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game on 46.1% shooting. Those aren’t Kevin Durant numbers, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons to keep him around.
For one, Ingram (24) is much younger than Durant, who turns 34 in September. Secondly, Ingram is also much more reliable. With KD on his third squad now, he has already abandoned several of his previous teams, and there’s just no predicting his behavior going forward.
So while the Pels could climb several rungs of the ladder with Durant in tow, NOLA executives don’t feel confident that he’s the one to push them over the edge. Instead, they will roll the dice with who they’ve got.
