Report: Pelicans prioritizing moving Brandon Ingram by trade deadline

Report: Pelicans prioritizing moving Brandon Ingram by trade deadline

We are nearing one month until the 2024-25 NBA Trade Deadline, and one name who’s continually been in trade rumors since the summer is New Orleans Pelicans wing Brandon Ingram.

The 27-year-old forward is in the last year of a five-year, $158.3 million deal he signed ahead of the 2020-21 season with New Orleans. The two sides were unable to sign an extension over the summer and executive vice president David Griffin stated in early July that both sides were going to “play it out” before making any sort of final judgement.

Well, injuries have completely ravaged the Pelicans, who own the worst record in the Western Conference at 5-28. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Bobby Marks, the Pelicans moving on from Ingram is a priority ahead of the Feb. 6 trade 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,” the report read Tuesday. “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.”

Ingram has missed the last two weeks due to an ankle injury. He’s missed 15 of the team’s 33 games, averaging 22.2 points,, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists on 46.5 percent shooting and 37.4 percent from 3-point range. He’s only played in 60 percent of his team’s games just once over the previous three seasons after doing so in each of his first five seasons.

Michael Malone has great answer to critics doubting Jamal Murray

There also isn’t a great fit for Ingram, who isn’t an above-average defender nor a player who can completely change a team’s outlook offensively given the price tag he will demand this offseason. It’s not like he will ever sign a mid-level exception during his prime, but a team flipping a decent treasure chest of assets for a max will be bold, depending on whatever that team’s expectations are.

Regardless of what New Orleans gets back, however, they could fall into a treasure chest atop the draft with Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey, among others. That could be an excellent landing spot for whatever prospect lands there–relative to, say, Washington.

***

Click Here for more NBA Content

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Check out Vendetta Fantasy Contests