The NBA season is officially over, and that means looking ahead to some of the biggest offseason questions around the league and within the New Orleans Pelicans organization.
Among those, none is bigger than the Brandon Ingram question, with the star wing eligible for a max extension that could pay him $52 million annually. Will the Pelicans offer that lucrative deal to keep the core together? One insider says no.
"Can you move Brandon Ingram and actually make your roster better? I think that’s going to be something that’s really tricky to pull off," said Christian Clark of NOLA.com. "I certainly think it’s possible Brandon Ingram is back next season on an extension that is less than that $52 million annually, but if I just had to make a prediction right now I would predict that he’s on a different team at the start of the 2024-’25 season.”
Listen to the full interview with Christian Clark in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here .
Ingram has appeared in 287 games over five seasons with the Pelicans, averaging 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists. New Orleans has been on an upward trajectory the past three seasons under head coach Willie Green despite repeated injuries derailing things, with 36 wins, then 42 wins, and most recently 49 wins. The Pelicans made the postseason in two of those years, both ending in first round losses.
The Pelicans will also see an overhaul in their front office and coaching staff with former GM Trajan Langdon taking over as the top executive in Detroit and longtime New Orleans assistant Fred Vinson joining him. Another assistant coach James Borrego also appears likely to take a job elsewhere.
If an Ingram trade did happen it would mark the end of an era that began in 2019 with a trade of Anthony Davis that brought Ingram and several others to New Orleans. The Pelicans still own one more first-rounder from the Lakers in that trade, which they've opted to defer to the 2025 draft. Ingram is under contract for one more season, but without an extension a trade would seem more likely.
The next question becomes: Where might that trade be? The most obvious answer would be Cleveland, a team with two lead guards and two big men, both areas that the Pelicans could have interest with multiple wings and draft picks to send in return. There's also the element of Griffin's familiarity with the organization as their former GM.
"Griff and Koby Altman have a very close relationship and you know, I think just a lot of business gets done in the NBA because of relationships," Clark said.
Clark added that the Pelicans have been enamored with the potential fit of Jarrett Allen at center for some time, and the team has been seeking improved rim protection. Center Jonas Valanciunas is expected to depart this offseason as well.
There's at least one more key player that would likely help grease the skids on the decision to send Ingram out of town, as well.
“If they’re going to trade Brandon Ingram, part of that will be because they know they have Trey Murphy to slide into the starting lineup in his place who, Trey Murphy is not as good as Brandon Ingram, but I guess you could make the argument that he’s a better basketball fit next to Zion Williamson," Clark continued. "So I could see something happening between Cleveland and New Orleans, but Griff is a creative deal-maker, so I’m not ruling anything out.”
The Pelicans own the No. 21 selection in the upcoming NBA draft, scheduled to begin on June 26.
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