There were multiple reasons why the New Orleans Pelicans finally parted ways with Brandon Ingram after over five seasons together this year. Ahead of the trade deadline, they sent him to the Toronto Raptors in return for Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, a top-four protected first-round pick in 2026 via the Indiana Pacers, and a second-round selection in 2031.
While New Orleans got a decent return for Ingram, all things considered, the return package was quite low on the totem pole of their motivations behind making this deal. A huge part of it was simply his fit next to the Pelicans' franchise cornerstone, Zion Williamson. After over five seasons together, it became abundantly clear that their pairing had a hard ceiling — one that was well short of championship caliber.
Their main reason for shedding BI, though, was likely an off-court issue. It wasn't a coincidence that New Orleans chose this season to trade him. Rather, they essentially waited until the last minute to do so, as he was in the last year of his current contract and was seeking a hefty extension, one that was reportedly far from what the Pelicans were willing to offer him. As a result, they traded him just hours before the trade deadline, shirking the responsibility of finding a new deal for him to the Toronto Raptors. This has proven to be the right move for the Pelicans just days later.
Brandon Ingram's extension would have been a nightmare for the Pelicans
Brandon Ingram's contract disputes with the New Orleans Pelicans' brass were a well-documented roller coaster that ultimately led to their divorce this season. With him proving to be a suboptimal complement for Zion Williamson, there was just no way the team could have met his demands which would have tied up a massive chunk of their cap space for a player who might ultimately dampen Zion's greatness. At one point, it was reported that Ingram's camp was seeking a four-year, $200 million extension.
It was rumored that the Pelicans had offered him upwards of $40 million per year at one point in time, but his corner was adamant about getting a full maximum deal. It may have led to some very unnecessary drama with New Orleans, but Ingram was ultimately able to match the Pels' best offer, even if it was well short of the $50 million average annual value he was originally seeking.
Just days after trading for him and before he even played his first game for them, the Toronto Raptors inked BI to a three-year, $120 million extension that could carry him through the 2027-28 season, if he picks up the player option for that last campaign.
At first glance, this seems like a massive contract. In this new league economy, though, it's probably fair value for a career 20-point scorer just entering his prime. Spotrac estimates that his new salary won't ever surpass 25 percent of the league's salary cap.
The Raptors still have plenty of work to do with their roster, but this was a shrewd move from them. They locked down a legitimate borderline All-Star for less than a fourth of the salary cap on a short-term deal. Even though this is a good contract for Toronto, it would have been a disaster for the Pelicans.
Signing BI to this same contract would have significantly hampered New Orleans's financial flexibility and ability to make further tweaks to their roster. For a stretch this year, it seemed like the Pelicans may have had to re-sign Ingram to a short-term deal in order to find a trade for him later on in a better market. If he had gotten this contract, that would have been much easier said than done.
With the new CBA and its daunted second apron, the NBA's middle class is quickly evaporating. More and more rosters are now comprised of a couple of massive or even max contracts alongside a litany of near-minimum salaries. Because of that, dealing away players like Ingram, those who make substantial money but aren't quite established stars, is only going to become harder and harder. That's why Zach LaVine only netted the Chicago Bulls three middling players and their own first-round pick back despite his career year this season. This Brandon Ingram extension makes it clear why the Pelicans had to cut bait when they did.