After another unsuccessful season, the New Orleans Pelicans will be entering the offseason looking to change some things up. While they did make the postseason this year, they were swept out of the first round by the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. The front office has been trying to put this team into a place of contention within the Western Conference but New Orleans has yet to move past the first round in recent years.
One of the changes that the Pelicans are reportedly considering is moving All-Star forward Brandon Ingram this summer. NBA insider Marc Stein reported in his Substack that the Pelicans are expected to “aggressively” explore a trade of Ingram this offseason.
“Sure to be a popular topic in Chicago this coming week as front office executives, scouts, coaches and agents gather for the usual pre-draft frenzy of on-court drills, measurements, scrimmaging and interviews with prospective draftees: A growing belief leaguewide that [the] Pelicans will aggressively explore the trade market for Brandon Ingram before next season,” Stein wrote.
If the Pelicans do indeed end up trading Ingram, they would likely get a nice haul for him. He is still only 26 years old but is eligible to sign a massive extension with only one year left on his current deal. So any team that would trade for Ingram would likely be extending him. Here are five possible trade destinations for Ingram if New Orleans does trade him this summer.
1. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers don’t have much to offer to the Pelicans but they could always try to work out a sign-and-trade with star Paul George. For the Clippers, they would get a younger forward in Ingram to pair with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, assuming he stays.
New Orleans would swap Ingram with George, who is a veteran who could help this team take that next step. It wouldn’t be the perfect swap but it is one that the teams could entertain after poor results this season.
2. Atlanta Hawks
After they secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Hawks are a wild card entering the offseason. Nobody knows if they will keep point guard Trae Young or guard Dejounte Murray, but they could be a nice trade partner for New Orleans. Atlanta could land Ingram to pair with whichever guard they choose to keep, and New Orleans would get the other.
For argument’s sake, let’s say the Hawks choose Murray over Young, the Pelicans could get a star in Young with a package that includes Ingram heading to Atlanta. Both the Hawks and Pelicans would become more competitive in this deal, making it an appealing option this summer.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Many reports have been coming out that the Cavaliers will be deciding between keeping either Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland this offseason, which could play into the Pelicans’ plans. Many expect Cleveland to choose Mitchell, which would put Garland on the trade block. New Orleans has been looking for more of a true point guard to run the offense and Garland could be the missing piece.
A swap of Ingram for Garland could solve the problems for both teams. Mitchell and Ingram could be the new duo in Cleveland while Garland could join the roster alongside Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and others.
4. Los Angeles Lakers
This one seems like a stretch, but Ingram heading back to the Lakers has been linked a few times. Any deal would have to be centered around shooting guard Austin Reaves, but reportedly the Lakers won’t trade Reaves unless they get back a star. If they don’t see Ingram as a star, this trade won’t be happening.
However, if they believe Ingram can be the third option behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis, it could work well. The few first-round draft picks that the Lakers do have available, in 2024 or 2025 (whichever the Pelicans do not choose), 2029 and 2031, could be very valuable for opposing teams in any deal.
5. Boston Celtics
While the Celtics are in the middle of a chase for the NBA title, this could become a possibility if they were to fail in that quest. Maybe Boston decides that enough is enough with the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown pairing. This is where the Pelicans could come into play.
Could a swap of Ingram for Brown work? Boston would get some new blood onto the roster, while New Orleans would receive a two-way player they could build around with Williamson. Brown has plenty of playoff experience that he could bring to the table, something New Orleans has been lacking.
Read the full article here
