Going into the 2024-25 NBA season, it was believed that we were witnessing the last days of Brandon Ingram with the New Orleans Pelicans. Five seasons into the experiment, it was clear that his pairing with Zion Williamson wasn't up to par with the championship-caliber tandems in today's league. The two simply had too many redundant qualities, most importantly in their weaknesses and proclivity for injury.
After Ingram entered the regular season without getting an extension done, it appeared inevitable that he'd be moved before the trade deadline, as he'd become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, unless the Pelicans re-signed him to a new deal before the end of the league year on June 30. It's been reported that Ingram's camp and New Orleans's brass were far apart in the negotiations — over $10 million a season away from an agreement.
Then, as the season wore on and the Pelicans racked up losses amid a string of injuries, Ingram fired his former representation and signed on with Klutch Sports, an infamous agency in the NBA, known for its cutthroat methods for getting clients what they want. By that point, it really felt like BI was already out the door. But, Brandon Ingram might be sticking around with the New Orleans Pelicans longer than we thought.
The Pelicans might have to keep Brandon Ingram out of necessity
Just as New Orleans isn't willing to give BI the four-year, $200 million extension he's seeking, there doesn't seem to be any team in the NBA that's willing to meet his standards. Jake Fischer reported on The Stein Line (subscription required) that the Pelicans would prefer to pay him around $40 million per year. The difference between what New Orleans is proposing and what Ingram wants is over $40 million across a four-year deal, so it's clear why the two sides haven't come to an agreement.
That would make trading him the best move for both him and the franchise. Except there's one problem: no team seems willing to pay him that much, per Fischer:
"Ingram spent the offseason seeking a maximum contract extension, according to league sources. The Pelicans preferred to pay Ingram more in the ballpark of $40 million in average annual value, sources said. It appears that the league, to this point, agrees more with New Orleans' assessment, since sources say there was no taker on the trade market for Ingram who was also willing to furnish the 6-foot-8 forward with that maximum deal he was seeking."
Since teams aren't lining up to both trade for Ingram and sign him to his desired deal, any organization considering the idea of acquiring him would have to accept the possibility that he could be a half-season rental. With that in mind, no team would be willing to give the Pelicans much in return for a few months of Ingram's services. The only franchises that should even consider such a move are bona fide title contenders, but even those squads would have trouble justifying or even accomplishing such a deal.
Ingram's $36 million cap figure makes him a difficult salary to acquire without giving up another max player in return, and there aren't many max players out there that he'd be an upgrade over. Even if a team could bundle smaller salaries to meet his $36 million number, it'd mean gutting their depth to trade for him. Finding a scenario where a team would be willing to trade the Pelicans an acceptable package for a Brandon Ingram rental that'll actually make them better might just be an impossible task.
For that reason, Fischer surmised that Ingram may have hired his new agency not to find him a trade for this season but to negotiate a short-term deal to help him get what he ultimately wants: a long-term max contract. Fischer suggested that the Pelicans might end up being the team that signs him to his next contract still:
"The current options are slim. So there's an expectation among league sources familiar with the situation that Ingram and his new agent representation at Klutch Sports will be open to pursuing a short-term payday starting next season... The Pelicans also could still be the team that rewards Ingram with a new deal."
In a season with so much turmoil, prolonging Ingram's stay with the team might seem like a waste of time but it could very well be the best move for the franchise. If New Orleans can sign him to a short-term deal like Fischer said, they could have a much easier time finding a team that's willing to trade for two seasons of Brandon Ingram instead of a half season of him.