‘Blockbuster’ Trade Proposal Sends Trae Young To Pelicans, Brandon Ingram To Hawks

One NBA writer proposed that the Atlanta Hawks trade Trae Young to the New Orleans Pelicans for Brandon Ingram. 

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Hawks and Pelicans:

Atlanta Hawks Receive: Dyson Daniels, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., 2025 first-round pick (most favorable from New Orleans or the Lakers)*, 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick (top-four protection; most favorable from Milwaukee or New Orleans), 2030 second-round pick

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Onyeka Okongwu, Trae Young

According to NBA insider Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the Hawks are expected to trade Young this summer.

Young averaged 25.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 10.8 assists this season while shooting 43.0% from the field, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 85.5% from the free-throw line. He recorded 37 double-doubles in 54 games. 

Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists for the Pelicans while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from deep and 80.1% from the free-throw line. He is eligible to sign an extension this summer. 

The Hawks missed the playoffs this year, while the Pelicans were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. 

“Ingram is an imperfect player speeding toward a new contract, but he’s less ball-dominant than Young and brings enough secondary creation that he could help float the offense in tandem with Dejounte Murray,” Favale wrote. “Point Zion Williamson is a revelation. But the Pelicans need an organizer who can sustain the show in the (likely) event that he misses extensive time or isn’t available for postseason games. Young is #ThatDude. And he would assuredly nudge up New Orleans’ overall three-point volume.

“Whether he’s the cleanest fit beside Zion is debatable. He still needs more experience playing off the ball. But the Pelicans could and should spam Zion-Trae pick-and-rolls. Keeping Trey Murphy and CJ McCollum would ensure that they’ll have the surrounding spacing to capitalize on those actions.”

Young signed a five-year, $215 million extension with the Hawks in August 2021. He’ll make $43 million next season and $45 million in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, Ingram will make $36 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

Young has career averages of 25.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists, while Ingram has career averages of 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists.