With Paul George and Klay Thompson both finding new teams, the New Orleans Pelicans are looking for new options to bolster their roster. One player that has been generating a lot of interest is Brandon Ingram, who could be traded for shot creation and shooting purposes.
According to Marc Stein, there have been intensified efforts to trade Ingram in recent days. His camp has explored various trade options due to the reality that the contract extension terms they had hoped for are not being offered by the Pelicans. New Orleans is hesitant to pay Ingram what he wants on his next contract as he enters the final year of his current deal at $36 million.
In addition to Ingram, other players like DeMar DeRozan and Lauri Markkanen have also been receiving increased interest from teams looking to strengthen their rosters. The Pelicans recently added Dejounte Murray and have Trey Murphy III deserving of more minutes on the wing, which could potentially lead to a decision to trade Ingram and clear a pathway for Murphy.
The Sacramento Kings have been mentioned as a potential trade partner for Ingram, with a possible trade involving Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and picks. Despite solid averages of 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in nearly 33 minutes per game last season for the Pelicans, Ingram’s injury history is a concern for teams considering acquiring him. Additionally, decisions about rookie contract extensions for players like Murphy could be driving New Orleans’ push to trade Ingram.
Overall, it seems that the Pelicans are open to exploring different options in order to improve their team’s performance and success in the future seasons.
