Could the Los Angeles Lakers trade for New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram?
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is approaching a pivotal decision regarding his future. The former All-Star recently switched agencies from Excel Sports Management to Klutch Sports this season. Ingram is in the last year of his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Pelicans and Ingram were unable to agree on a contract extension. The former No. 2 overall pick reportedly requested a maximum contract worth around 50millionperseason,whileNewOrleansaimedtooffersomethingclosertohiscurrentsalaryof 36 million per year. The team did reach out to other franchises to assess interest, but there was little traction during the summer.
With the Pelicans starting the season at 5-18, they may consider trading Ingram before the deadline to avoid losing him for nothing in free agency next summer. NBA Insider Jake Fischer mentioned that Ingram’s first team might be a potential trade destination.
“Ingram’s initial NBA franchise is frequently mentioned by scouts as a possible landing spot for the next Ingram trade, but I haven’t received any signals indicating that the Lakers are currently pursuing him,” Fischer noted. “All reliable indications surrounding the Lakers suggest they are focused on strengthening their frontcourt and enhancing perimeter defense to support LeBron James and Anthony Davis.”
The Lakers selected Ingram in the 2016 draft, and the former Duke star played three seasons in Los Angeles before being traded to New Orleans as part of the deal for Anthony Davis. Since joining the Pelicans in 2019, Ingram has participated in two playoff series and was named the Most Improved Player in 2019.
This season, he was affected by a calf injury that caused him to miss six games early on. Despite this setback, he currently leads the Pelicans in both scoring and three-point shooting. Klutch Sports, which is helmed by Rich Paul—a close friend of LeBron James who also represents Anthony Davis—was instrumental in facilitating Davis’s trade from New Orleans.
Leave a Reply