Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram Not Being Made Available For Nets’ Kevin Durant

It’s hard to pinpoint what’s actually happening with the Nets and Kevin Durant, other than Brooklyn is indeed active in talks. But we don’t know how active these days.

But the Nets have seemingly talked to just about each of the other 29 teams, and word is beginning to leak whose those opposing teams are willing to part.

For the Pelicans, the list does not include Brandon Ingram, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Scotto explained it this way:

“Brooklyn wanted a package that could top the Rudy Gobert package that Utah got for him in the trade with Minnesota. To this point, that market has not materialized. There are some younger guys they’d be open to getting if they were going to move Kevin Durant. Scottie Barnes with Toronto, who has not been put on the table yet. You wondered if Brandon Ingram of the Pelicans could be a guy that’s put on the table? To this point, I’ve heard he’s not been put on the table. I also didn’t see Durant necessarily wanting to go to New Orleans as well.”

Granted, the Nets’ first priority isn’t to send Durant to where he “wants” to go. He has four years left on his contract, so wherever he goes, he will be expected to suit up — or lose salary. He won’t have a choice but to show up, put in work and offer what he can (which is usually something great), if he does get dealt.

The Nets, on the other hand, are only concerned with what they can get in return. So it’s fair of them to ask for the like of Ingram, Barnes or other young talent. But for Durant, who turns 34 in September, much of that young talent is seemingly not being made available.

The Pelicans, for their part, seemingly have a pretty bright future — with the likes of Ingram, CJ McCollum and finally healthy Zion Williamson. That said, a Durant-Zion combination would be downright scary.