Report: Pelicans will look to trade Brandon Ingram this offseason

May 14, 2024, 10:21 AM

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 04: Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts against th...

(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

Some big NBA names could be on the move this summer, and the New Orleans Pelicans could be a big player on the trade market.

According to reports published by NBA insider Marc Stein and HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is expected to be shopped this summer as New Orleans looks to find a better fit next to franchise star Zion Williamson.

Ingram, 26, is the Pelicans’ main trade chip this summer as he enters the final season of his five-year, $158 million that he signed before the 2020-21 season.

“A growing belief league-wide that Pelicans will aggressively explore the trade market for Brandon Ingram before next season.”

NBA insider Marc Stein – May 13, 2024

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is considered the most likely player to be traded by rival executives who spoke with HoopsHype. Those executives believe the fit with Ingram and Zion isn’t ideal on the court. With Ingram entering the final season of his contract at $36 million, he’s been a trade candidate before, but he’s a prime trade candidate now.

HoopsHype.com’s Michael Scotto – May 11, 2024

More on Brandon Ingram

New Orleans has two players–defensive wing Herb Jones and two-way threat Trey Murphy III–that could be in line for extended playing time in 2024-25, meaning the franchise could use forward Brandon Ingram to upgrade its roster in other areas.

Jones, who inked a four-year, $53 million deal before the 2023-24 season, and Murphy, who will enter restricted free agency next summer, have made Ingram somewhat expendable for the Pelicans.

The one-time All-Star averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists on 49/35/80 shooting splits over 64 games during this past season for New Orleans team that ended Sacramento’s season in the eighth seed Play-In game.

With Jones and Murphy–who came off of the bench in 34 of his 57 appearances–ready to take over as the Pelicans’ starting small and power forwards, it’s no surprise that New Orleans is looking to trade Ingram, who will be in the final year of his contract next season ($36 million).

Would Brandon Ingram be a fit on the Sacramento Kings?

The Kings hold a lot of stock in Keegan Murray’s future as a two-way threat, but bringing in another scoring wing could benefit a roster that has looked stagnant on offense at times.

Ingram’s expiring contract could make him an intriguing possibility for Sacramento as it likely would require less draft assets in a potential deal. The Kings’ first-rounder in June’s NBA Draft is expected to be a top-13 pick, which could be a sweetener in an offer that have to include matching salary.

Harrison Barnes ($18 million) and Kevin Huerter ($16.8 million) would make an Ingram trade possible, although New Orleans could look for a different path to a deal in the form of a three-team trade or by looking elsewhere for a better return.

The Pelicans also could swap out Barnes or Huerter for a combination of Davion Mitchell, Trey Lyles, and or Sasha Vezenkov.

There is also the possibility of a multi-team trade that could send Kings assets to the Pelicans or another team, Ingram to Sacramento, and assets from New Orleans to the other team involved in this hypothetical scenario.

Putting Ingram in a starting five that includes De’Aaron Fox, Keon Ellis, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis would make the Kings a lot better on paper. Adding a dynamic scorer that has averaged 23.1 points over the past five seasons would take pressure off of Fox and Murray to carry the scoring load, especially if Malik Monk doesn’t return in free agency.

Ingram’s expiring contract makes this potential arrangement enticing from the standpoint that both sides can take a year to see if the pairing works. If not, Ingram enters free agency in 2025 and Sacramento has some financial flexibility to look elsewhere.

Of course, the Pelicans could choose to trade outside of the West and avoid having Ingram hurt them down the line. We’ll see how things unfold in the coming months, but if the former top-five pick is actually made available as the reports indicate, there is little doubt that Kings GM Monte McNair will come calling.

When is the next Sacramento Kings off-season date of interest?

The NBA Draft is now a two-night event.

Wednesday, June 26th, will act as the first night of the 2024 NBA Draft, where the Sacramento Kings will make their first-round selection (13th). The second round of the draft will be held on Thursday, June 27th, where the Kings will use its 45th overall pick.

Sacramento hasn’t had a first-round pick since 2022, when it selected Iowa product Keegan Murray with the fourth overall pick.

Stay locked into Sactown Sports for all of your Kings draft coverage, including player profiles, reports regarding pre-draft workouts, draft night coverage, and much more.

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