San Antonio Spurs Could 'Leverage' Their Way Into Making a Trade for Brandon Ingram

After the San Antonio Spurs decided not to make the easy deal and trade for Trae Young and after Lauri Markkanen took himself off the trade market by signing an extension with the Utah Jazz, Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans is the best player currently on the trade market. The Spurs, with their promising young core, ample cap room, and treasure chest of draft picks, could make a deal for Ingram if they wanted to.

The fact that a deal hasn't been made yet should be pretty telling when it comes to the Spurs' offseason priorities, which have remained internal development. However, as the Pelicans get desperate, maybe it's still in the cards.

Ingram, 27, is four seasons removed from his last All-Star nod, but he managed to average a solid 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in the Bayou last season. He is owed $36 million this season and is seeking a massive contract extension, which the Pelicans can't afford.

The Spurs could, which makes him a viable trade target since San Antonio could lock him down long-term, but would it be worth it? He would come in as the third-best player on the team, assuming Devin Vassell continues to improve, and Jeremy Sochan and Stephon Castle both have higher ceilings.

Granted, he packs an offensive punch, and the Pelicans are in need of frontcourt talent, so the Spurs might be able to get away with only giving up Zach Collins and a pick or two. However, he is limited on the defensive end of the ball.

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey believes that Ingram would show improvement in the Spurs' system. "If there's an organization and coaching staff that might finally be able to leverage Ingram's frame toward really good defense, it might be San Antonio," he wrote.

Related: San Antonio Spurs Could Make a Trade to Bring Back Kawhi Leonard

Of course, Ingram doesn't fit the Spurs' system, but with a versatile core, they could accommodate Ingram's playstyle, provided that he is aware that his touches would see a significant decrease. As the Pelicans prepare to lose him for nothing next summer, expect their asking price to lower and for the Spurs to monitor the situation.