According to veteran NBA insider Marc Stein, Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri is a fan of Brandon Ingram.
The Raptors are interested in acquiring Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans.
“The Raptors, as first revealed earlier this week on this Substack, have already registered tangible interest in Ingram,” Stein wrote. “Since that story published, sources briefed on the situation have told our twice-weekly contributor The People’s Insider Jake Fischer that Raptors president Masai Ujiri should indeed be classified as a fan of Ingram’s.”
The Pelicans are expected to trade Ingram before the February 6 trade deadline. They have only 12 wins on the season.
Ingram has only appeared in 18 games this season for the Pelicans due to injuries. He’s averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 46.5% from the field, 37.4% from beyond the arc and 85.5% from the free-throw line.
A one-time All-Star, Ingram is making $36 million this season in the final year of his contract. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
The 27-year-old Ingram has played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans. He has career averages of 19.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks.
The Pelicans acquired Ingram from the Lakers in the blockbuster Anthony Davis trade back in 2019. Ingram won the 2020 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. He was the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Duke.
Along with the Raptors, Ingram has been linked to the Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks.
“Agreeing on draft compensation with the Pelicans would figure to be the trickiest element to put the Raptors in firm position to acquire Ingram, but landing him now could also set Toronto up to build a positive relationship with the 6-foot-8 scoring forward designed to create an offseason edge when it comes to re-signing him,” Stein wrote.
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