Raptors acquire Brandon Ingram from Pelicans

Raptors acquire Brandon Ingram from Pelicans

The Toronto Raptors have acquired star wing Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-round pick, NBA insider Chris Haynes was first to report Wednesday.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania was the first to report the full terms of the deal, though Haynes first linked Brown as a returning piece in the three-player deal.

This comes after The Athletic’s Will Guillory reported that Ingram was no longer on the Pelicans’ bench after being with the team in the first half of their 144-119 loss to the Denver Nuggets Wednesday evening.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported last week that the Raptors were a team that emerged in the Ingram sweepstakes.

The 6-foot-7 wing has not played in two months due to an ankle sprain and does not have a clear timetable for returning. In 18 games, he’s averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists, shooting 46.5 percent from the floor, 37.4 percent from 3-point range and 85.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Ingram is set to be a free agent next offseason; the Raptors already paid Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes last offseason, so it looks like Ingram could be next. It’s unclear whether or not Ingram will demand anywhere near the max after reportedly seeking $50 million when negotiating an extension with the Pelicans last offseason.

It’s a very interesting trade for a 16-35 Raptors team nowhere near contention. Perhaps they knew they were out of the sweepstakes to sign him in free agency, so getting him in the building and having his bird rights was a priority. He fits alongside Scottie Barnes, but the Raptors are much more than just an Ingram away from contention … with the possibility of having more than $190 million on their books (11 players) in 2025-26.

***

This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned for updates!

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