Sacramento Kings discussing trade for young All-Star scorer

Minutes into NBA free agency, the Sacramento Kings are already active, but not by signing players. Not yet, anyway. Instead, Kings GM Monte McNair is reportedly busy negotiating a trade.

According to local KTXL Kings reporter Sean Cunningham , the Kings are “pursuing a trade” for New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Brandon Ingram. He also notes that having Alvin Gentry working in Sacramento’s front office may be helping fuel negotiations, as Ingram’s lone All-Star season came under Gentry’s tutelage with the Pelicans in 2020.

• Brandon Ingram stats last season: 20.8 PPG, 5.7 APG, 5.1 RPG, 35.5% 3PT

A potential Ingram trade has been rumored for several weeks, but after the Pelicans acquired Dejounte Murray , it signaled an all-in move. Trading Ingram would send a different message, but by adding Murray, maybe New Orleans feels content with their new-look lineup and feels like their former All-Star is now expendable.

Or maybe they realize they won’t be committing to Ingram with a long-term extension. Ingram is entering the final season of a five-year, $158 million contract but is expected to negotiate a multi-year extension if traded elsewhere.

• Brandon Ingram contract (2024-25): $36 million cap hit

With Ingram’s contract, two possibilities that could be headed back to New Orleans could be Harrison Barnes ($18M) and Kevin Huerter ($16.8M). That alone would match salaries, but it likely doesn’t move the needle for the Pelicans. Yet, Sacramento does have four tradeable first-round picks from 2027-2030.

Either way, the Kings are getting aggressive early during the offseason by targeting a 26-year-old scoring forward who can also facilitate and get some stops defensively, averaging 2.1 combined blocks and steals per game.

If Sacramento can reach a trade agreement, their new-look starting five would boast De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk or Keon Ellis, Brandon Ingram, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis. On paper, that looks like a team that could do some real damage in the Western Conference as the Kings look to get past the first round of the NBA Playoffs next season.

Related: 10 NBA free agency predictions for 2024 offseason

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