Pelicans: Breaking down a proposed NBA Draft trade of Brandon Ingram

Why the Pelicans shouldn’t trade Brandon Ingram

I think there are a couple of reasons that you don’t move Brandon Ingram in this particular type of trade.

Ingram is still very young and is already very good, an All-Star who wants to get better and will work to do so. He committed to staying with the Pelicans long-term and that hasn’t always happened in New Orleans, so trading him away sends a pretty bad message.

I generally think the team that gets the best player wins the trade and in this case, the Pelicans would not be getting the best player, but would instead be giving him away for platter of mediocre players in the name of a better “fit.”

Kevin Love has seen better days and wasn’t a great teammate last season in Cleveland, Nance Jr. and Turner are nice role players but are they really starters on a title team? Collin Sexton would be a nice get for the bench, but the Pelicans might be able to get him without giving up Ingram in the process.

Having two young stars is what every NBA franchise wants and the Pelicans are already lucky enough to have it. I think they should build around these two and find other parts that work, as they have many ways they could make a trade without giving up Ingram.

Stars win championships in the NBA and teams that look great on paper don’t always work out in real life. If the Pelicans are going to trade Ingram, I’d prefer they do it to get a proven superstar like Damian Lillard, otherwise, Griffin should be building around him and Zion Williamson.