Trade Proposal Sends Brandon Ingram To Lakers, Anfernee Simons To Pelicans, D’Angelo Russell To Blazers

One NBA analyst proposed a three-team trade idea between the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers. 

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade between the Lakers, Pelicans and Blazers:

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: SF Brandon Ingram

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: G Anfernee Simons, C Robert Williams III, F/C Christian Wood

Portland Trail Blazers Receive: F Rui Hachimura, G/F Jordan Hawkins, PG D’Angelo Russell, 2025 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers), 2025 second-round pick (via Los Angeles Clippers)

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 for the Pelicans while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $36 million next season in the final year of his contract. 

Ingram began his career with the Lakers. He was traded to the Pelicans in 2019 in the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade. 

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 Lakers and Pelicans. He won the 2019-20 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. 

Simons appeared in 46 games for the Blazers this past season. He averaged 22.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.1 blocks while shooting 43.0% from the field, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 91.6% from the free-throw line. 

The 25-year-old Simons will make $25.9 million next season. He holds career averages of 14.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.1 blocks, all with the Blazers. 

The Lakers are shopping Russell, who picked up his 2024-25 player option worth $18.7 million. Russell averaged 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks in 2023-24 for the Lakers while shooting 45.6% from the field, 41.5% from beyond the arc and 82.8% from the free-throw line. 

Russell has career averages of 17.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.3 blocks with the Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. 

The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 playoffs in five games, the Pelicans lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round in four games and the Blazers missed the postseason.