‘Blockbuster’ Trade Proposal Sends Brandon Ingram To Raptors, Bruce Brown To Pelicans

One NBA analyst proposed that the New Orleans Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown. 

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade between the Pelicans and Raptors:

Toronto Raptors Receive: SF Brandon Ingram, SG Jordan Hawkins, F Matt Ryan

New Orleans Pelicans Receive: C Jakob Poeltl, G/F Bruce Brown, 2026 first-round pick (top-four protected, via Indiana Pacers)

The Pelicans are open to trading Ingram since the forward is in the final year of his contract and is looking for a max extension. 

Meanwhile, the Raptors picked up Brown’s 2024-25 team option and are looking to trade him. 

“Brown would give New Orleans a veteran who can play a number of roles off the bench,” Swartz wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “He’s on an expiring $23 million contract, which means he’ll come off the books right as Trey Murphy III’s rookie-scale deal expires.

“New Orleans could have a starting five of Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Murphy, Zion Williamson and Poeltl with CJ McCollum, Brown, Jose Alvarado, Yves Missi, Daniel Theis and others off the bench. An extra first-round pick in what projects to be a talented 2026 draft class would almost certainly convey from the Pacers, too.

“The Raptors would continue to get younger and add some more offensive pop around Scottie Barnes, with Ingram (26) and Hawkins (22) joining a core that now includes Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Ja’Kobe Walter, Ochai Agbaji and others.”

Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks in 2023-24 while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line.

A one-time All-Star, Ingram has career averages of 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks with the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans. He won the 2019-20 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. 

Brown played for the Indiana Pacers and Raptors this past season. He averaged 10.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.3 blocks while shooting 47.8% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc and 82.4% from the free-throw line. 

A one-time NBA champion, Brown has career averages of 8.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Pacers and Raptors.