Report: Brandon Ingram Expected To Remain With Pelicans

According to NBA insider Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Brandon Ingram is expected to remain with the New Orleans Pelicans. 

The trade market for Ingram is limited since he’s in the final year of his contract. 

“I’m told the trade market for Brandon Ingram is limited..

New Orleans wants him to stay and he wants to stay as well..

The sense around New Orleans is he’s going to be there and they’re fully expecting him to be part of this Pelicans team” ~ @ShamsCharania#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/SGHwYiebLk

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 6, 2024

One of the best scorers in the NBA, Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line.

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Pelicans in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. Ingram averaged 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks while shooting 34.5% overall and 25.0% from 3 in the series. 

A Duke product, Ingram has career averages of 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks with the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans. He won the 2019-20 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. 

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Ingram’s camp looked for teams who would pay the wing $210 million. 

“Ingram, with one All-Star appearance on his resume like Lauri Markkanen, has only one season left on his current contract and is said to be seeking a four-year contract extension worth nearly $210 million,” Stein wrote. “The Pelicans have made it clear that they won’t go to those lengths to re-sign him and, while various teams have explored Ingram trades since the offseason began in earnest, no other team willing to sign the 26-year-old at those numbers has yet emerged … with league sources saying that Ingram’s camp has also joined the efforts to find one.”

Ingram will make $36 million next season. The Pelicans haven’t won a playoff series since acquiring Ingram from the Lakers. 

New Orleans acquired Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks this offseason. It appears the Pelicans will have a “Big 4” of Murray, Ingram, CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson next season.