The Indiana Pacers have built a talented young core around Tyrese Haliburton, but the team could use a second star to complement their franchise player and his electric playmaking. Brandon Ingram could be that star.
Diego Vergel de Dios of ClutchPoints recently proposed that the Pacers trade three quality role players and a handful of first-round picks for Ingram. The hypothetical deal would look like this:
Trade idea: Indiana Pacers trade Buddy Hield, Daniel Theis, T.J. McConnell, and 3-4 first-round picks to New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram
“Since the Pacers have sensational talents like Haliburton and Mathurin, their front office must be willing to go all-in on someone like Ingram because he can play the 3 or the 4 alongside the key cogs in their lineup,” Vergel de Dios wrote in his latest piece.
In order to trade for a player of Ingram’s caliber, a franchise has to make sacrifices. While Indiana would be giving up valuable assets in this deal, the risk could pay off in a big way.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans & Indiana Pacers Updates
Hield, Theis, and McConnell are also all at least 30 years old and don’t fully fit Haliburton’s timeline. Meanwhile, Ingram is just 26 years old.
Last season, Ingram averaged a career-best 24.7 points per game while shooting an efficient 48.4% from the field and 39% from deep. He also reached a career-high in nightly assists with 5.8 dimes per contest.
Ingram is one of the league’s most polished three-level scorers. As a legitimate threat from anywhere on the court, the 6-foot-8 forward would take a huge burden off of Haliburton. The former No. 2 overall pick would likely become Indiana’s primary scoring option, and he would surely thrive next to a game-changing passer like Haliburton.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans & Indiana Pacers Updates
While Ingram can get buckets with the best of them, he has developed a concerning injury history throughout his seven-year career. Since his rookie campaign, Ingram has not played more than 62 games in a single season. Thanks to offseason additions of pieces like 2023 NBA champion Bruce Brown and No. 8 pick Jarace Walker, Indy should boast enough depth to withstand some missed time from Ingram.
With Indiana’s young players getting better and better, it is only a matter of time before the Pacers establish themselves as real threats in the Eastern Conference. If they trade for Ingram, their time could come sooner than expected.
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