Pelicans Still Unwilling To Include Brandon Ingram In Kevin Durant Trade

For the Pelicans, small forward Brandon Ingram is off limits.

At least, that is what they are telling the Nets in trade talks for Kevin Durant, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

New Orleans has been strongly linked to Durant, who has requested a trade. But Clark isn’t the first to report that Ingram would not be included in a deal. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported the same last month.

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.

As Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News noted, the Pelicans could put together a strong package, perhaps centered on Ingram, Herbert Jones, Devonte’ Graham and Jose Alvarado, as well as picks received in trades with the Lakers and Bucks.

Granted, that part of it is speculation — but it’s a valid look at what the Pelicans could offer in an effort to put Durant next to Williamson and McCollum. On paper, it would make New Orleans an even bigger immediate player in the West.