When an NBA star is due for an extension, the vultures start to circle. If that player and his team don’t come to an agreement soon, we start thinking about trades. Why wouldn’t we? If the team and player were confident in their relationship, wouldn’t they work out an extension?
At the moment, Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans is due for an extension. The sides haven’t worked out an arrangement yet. Apparently, Ingram isn’t going to pursue an extension until next summer. This opens the door for speculation if nothing else.
Will Ingram finish his career with the Pelicans? Time will tell. With that said, if the team makes him available, the young, star wing will have a lot of suitors. Here are three teams that we think should consider making a trade for him.
Oklahoma City Thunder
This felt like an obvious starting point. If the Pelicans make Ingram available, they’ll want picks. If you haven’t noticed, the Oklahoma City Thunder have a lot of them. Realistically, this team could go over market value for Ingram and still have one of the best collections of first-rounders in the NBA.
He happens to be a perfect basketball fit as well. The Thunder have an elite offensive guard in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They’ve got a potential defensive anchor in Chet Holmgren. What they’re missing is a star, two-way, offensive wing. Ingram fits the bill. He could be an ideal second option alongside Gilgeous-Alexander.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans & Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
We like this fit – a lot. With that said, the Thunder could be angling for a bigger fish. This team may be intent on hanging onto their draft capital until a true MVP-level star comes along. in that event, the Pelicans could look to another team with draft capital to spare.
Brooklyn Nets
Arguably. no team in the NBA needs an offensive star more than the Brooklyn Nets. This team is stacked with defensive players, but they don’t have a lead man on the other end. Meanwhile, the Nets have no incentive to lose. Wherever this team winds up in next year’s draft, they’ll be sending the pick to the Houston Rockets.
With that in mind, some will say that the positional fit here isn’t clear. To be sure, the Nets have a lot of wings. We don’t consider that a problem. Mikal Bridges can play the 2, and Cameron Johnson can play the 4. With Ingram at the 3, the Nets will have one of the most versatile teams in the league. This would be a playoff squad.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans & Oklahoma City Thunder Updates
The Nets have the means to trade for him, too. If the Pelicans are willing to take on Ben Simmons’ deal, they could get a handful of unprotected first-rounders from the Nets. If they’re not, they may need to keep looking for a suitor for Ingram.
Toronto Raptors
Realistically, the Toronto Raptors could take a number of routes to acquiring Ingram. This team’s roster is uniquely composed of quality young players and good veterans. As a result, they could offer a number of packages for the star wing.
They shouldn’t offer Scottie Barnes. He’d likely be off-limits. Otherwise, just about anyone here is fair game. Could the Pelicans be interested in Scottie Barnes? Or, would they prefer some combination of OG Anunoby, Gary Trent Jr., and a pick or two? Either way, the Raptors can get in the running for Ingram if they want him.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans & Toronto Raptors Updates
On that note, they should want Ingram. His scoring ability would pair nicely with Barnes as a shot-creator. Ingram is young enough to be part of this team’s future. He’s young enough to be part of the Pelicans’ future, too – we’ll see if he is or not.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
