Brandon Ingram is a player that can fairly be considered underrated, as he is not often brought up when people talk about the next generation of NBA stars. He led the New Orleans Pelicans to the playoffs as the No. 1 option this season. Ingram also elevated his game in the postseason, averaging 27.0 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 6.0 APG.
Lately, Brandon Ingram’s name has been in the news cycle due to speculation that the Pelicans would want to trade him for Nets superstar Kevin Durant. Back in 2020, Kevin Durant notably claimed that watching Brandon Ingram was like looking “in the mirror” for him.
NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson has recently stated that the Pelicans are “reluctant” to trade Brandon Ingram in any deal for Kevin Durant, reportedly preferring to make a deal centered on a “multitude of draft picks”.
IF it’s doable: From what I’ve been told: Pelicans would rather do a deal centered around a multitude of draft picks. Their own plus the Bucks and Lakers ones they still have.
2/2 pic.twitter.com/90rbl9WTdu
— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) July 6, 2022
It makes sense from the Pelicans’ perspective to try and keep Brandon Ingram while trading for Kevin Durant. A hypothetical big three of Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Kevin Durant could potentially make the Pelicans one of the favorites to win the title, and it would definitely be fun to see Kevin Durant lead a young hungry squad to the promised land.
There would be some clear positives for the Pelicans if they were to give up Brandon Ingram in a trade for Kevin Durant. Zion Williamson and Kevin Durant would likely be the best duo in the Western Conference, and the Pelicans would definitely be a contending squad with those two at the helm.
However, it makes more sense for the Pelicans to trade their multitude of draft picks, perhaps to get a star-level player in a three-team trade to send to the Brooklyn Nets. That would theoretically allow them to retain Brandon Ingram while still getting Kevin Durant. The Pelicans have a competitive squad currently, and Kevin Durant would provide the championship experience and superstar play to get them over the top.
