Trade Proposal Sends Brandon Ingram To Pacers, Myles Turner And TJ McConnell To Pelicans

One NBA analyst proposed that the Indiana Pacers acquire Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason. 

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Pacers and Pelicans:

The trade: The New Orleans Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner, T.J. McConnell and the No. 36 pick

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Pelicans are expected to explore the trade market for Ingram this offseason aggressively.

Ingram has one year left on his contract. 

A Duke product, Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists for the Pelicans this season while shooting 49.2% from the floor, 35.5% from 3 and 80.1% from the free-throw line. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Pelicans in the first round of the 2024 playoffs.

The Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in four games.

Turner averaged 17.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.9 blocks this season while shooting 52.4% overall, 35.8% from 3 and 77.3% from the foul line. 

Meanwhile, McConnell averaged 10.2 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 55.6% from the field, 40.9% from beyond the arc and 79.0% from the free-throw line. 

“If you could build the ideal big man to pair with Zion Williamson, that player would bear a striking resemblance to Turner,” Buckley wrote. “There aren’t a ton of centers with the unicorn blend of shot-blocking and floor-spacing, but he checks both boxes with ease. The list of players with 1,200 blocks and 600 three-pointers in their career is only eight players long, and he’s on it.

“New Orleans might also be open to a literal changing of the (point) guard. CJ McCollum is a silky smooth shot-creator, but he’s closer to really good than great on offense, and he’s downright abysmal on defense. The Pels could see better balance in a McConnell-Jose Alvarado pairing at the point.

“Throw in an early second-round pick, and that might be enough for New Orleans to call off its search for an Ingram trade and send him packing in pursuit of a better-balanced roster.”