Brandon Ingram could be one of the best players available on the trade market all year long after the New Orleans Pelicans made an offense-first move this summer by acquiring Dejounte Murray . Fitting Murray alongside CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson , and Brandon Ingram will be a major challenge, which is why the Pelicans are incentivized to look for deals for the expiring Ingram instead of extending him and locking themselves into their current core.
The Toronto Raptors are resisting a full-fledged rebuild with newly-minted max contract star Scottie Barnes . They traded both OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam in moves that didn't land them heaps of draft assets because the team intends to remain competitive. Acquiring Ingram could be the best route forward for the Raptors, also involving the Atlanta Hawks to give the Pelicans the players they need to fill their roster gaps at center.
Trade Details
Toronto Raptors Receive: Brandon Ingram
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Clint Capela, Chris Boucher, 2026 First-Round Pick (TOR)
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Bruce Brown, 2027 Second-Round Pick (TOR)
This deal helps all three teams make moves that make them a competitive team. The Pelicans consolidate Ingram's contract into depth with Capela and Boucher while the Raptors get a free-scoring wing with strong passing instincts to support Scottie Barnes in the frontcourt. The Hawks lose a big from their crowded rotation and add a complementary off-ball player to Trae Young to help the team's winning prospects next season.
The Raptors Start Bringing In Win-Now Players
The Raptors did everything they could to avoid a rebuild over the last few seasons, holding onto OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam for a season too long and failing to maximize their value in trades. Instead of accepting massive offers headlined by draft assets, the Raptors chose to acquire young players they knew they could put around Barnes. This trade is an evolution of what they did last season, making a conscious move to add win-now talent to the team.
Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists last season amidst a tough year on the Pelicans. He's becoming offensively redundant on the squad and restricting young wings such as Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones from accepting a bigger role on the franchise. This deal allows the Raptors to put a magnetic scoring presence next to Barnes, who's still developing as an offensive player.
This is a commitment to building around Barnes, as Ingram will be brought to complement the defensive ethos of the Raptors and Barnes in particular. His offensive feel is hard to match, with Ingram able to find the right spot on the court and has been developing his offensive creation for others. He'd be a seamless offensive fit amongst the likes of RJ Barrett as well, also allowing young stars like Gradey Dick more time to develop their skills to be positive contributors to a winning franchise.
The Pelicans Fill Their Roster Holes
The Pelicans have one major issue heading into the 2024-25 season. As long as they have Ingram, it doesn't look like they'll have the room to make a major acquisition to bolster center play on their roster. Daniel Theis and Yves Missi is not a center rotation any team in the West would be fearful of, especially the top teams with various competent big men. Using Ingram's value to add two competent big men to their rotation would be a huge upgrade.
Capela averaged 11.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks last season, serving as a solid rim-protector and lob target in the paint. He doesn't add much offensive finesse but would be a solid complement to guards like McCollum and Murray.
Boucher averaged 6.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks in a small role on the Raptors last season but is a solid big man who can step out to the three-point line as well as block shots. This move allows the Pels to add versatility to their frontcourt with more post players than Ingram.
A 2026 first-round pick from the Raptors would be one of the most valuable returning assets in this deal. The Raptors have to show they can win now to avoid losing this pick two years from now. Not only does that mean Ingram needs to be a good fit on the franchise, but it also means he needs to agree to a long-term extension given he hits free agency next season.
The Hawks Receive A Winning Player Who Plays Multiple Positions
The Atlanta Hawks are in the middle of the Eastern Conference, looking to reload their roster after a failed Dejounte Murray experiment ended with a trade to the Pelicans earlier this summer. They can help the Pelicans land the centers they need while landing a win-now swingman who could be a veteran option on the wing ahead of No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher or a backcourt partner for Young ahead of sixth man Bogdan Bogdanovic or the young Dyson Daniels.
Bruce Brown averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists last season for the Pacers and Raptors. The Raptors don't seem equipped to maximize Brown's talents, as seen last season, due to their inherent lack of offensive creation, one of Brown's biggest flaws. His expiring contract could be a great asset to use in the Ingram trade, with the guard and wing-heavy Pelicans routing him to the Hawks who could use his skills next to Trae Young.
Brown can play three positions, is a hard-nosed defender, and is known to be an elite hustle player in the NBA. Quin Snyder would love coaching a player with his mindset, who'll look to maximize his opportunities given he's in a contract year. The Hawks could just flip him again in the winter if they end up being a non-Playoff team, opening up minutes for the young Dyson Daniels and potentially bringing back assets to the franchise.
Three Winning Teams Created From One Trade
This deal could realistically see three Playoff teams exchanging assets to better suit the makeup of their roster. The Raptors are the furthest behind in terms of readymade competitiveness, which is why they're making the most audacious move of the three by acquiring an expiring contract like Ingram. If it works, it could catapult the Raptors to a top-six team in the East but if it fails, they'll have the space to quickly pivot into another direction with their young star Barnes locked up on a max contract.
The Hawks have a superstar offensive talent but haven't found the right players to surround him with. They ended the Dejounte experiment and likely won't rush into finding a new co-star for Young, so getting a gritty player like Brown will boost the Hawks' overall competitiveness next season. In addition, it gives them room to make Onyeka Okongwu their starting center ahead of the outgoing Capela.
Finally, the Pelicans make a selling move because they're uniquely positioned to do so but fix the team on the margins by acquiring players who fit what they need. They're painfully weak at the center spot, with this deal netting them two options alongside a valuable future pick in the near future. They have the resources to make more moves later on if needed but this deal puts them in a position to be considered a top-six team in the West.
Related: Pelicans Land Center While Magic Acquire Veteran Guard In Proposed Trade Idea
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