As the New Orleans Pelicans struggled in the playoffs last season, with a net rating of -35, there is a growing belief that they will actively explore the trade market for Brandon Ingram before next season. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, possible interested teams include Philadelphia, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Orlando.
Ingram is a high-level isolation scorer who averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game this season. Despite his individual success, there has never been a natural chemistry between him and his teammates Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum. The Pelicans are committed to Zion long-term and have no intention of parting ways with McCollum, leaving Ingram potentially on the chopping block.
New Orleans has the option to extend Ingram this season at around $200 million but reports indicate they are not interested in that route. While officially they claim to be “open” to extending him at a different number that suits the team, the likelihood is that if an agreement cannot be reached, they will end up exploring trade options. One potential trade scenario could involve Cleveland and Jarrett Allen if they decide to move on from their two-bigs lineup.
Anticipate significant changes to the Pelicans’ roster this summer as they look to maintain core players like Zion, McCollum, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy III. This could mean that Brandon Ingram becomes the odd man out and is traded to another team in the offseason.
