Brandon Ingram is one of the most mercurial stars in the NBA. One game, you'll see Ingram flash a tight handle, on-ball creation ability, and a feathery jumper that combines into a Durant-lite package.
In another game, you'll see a man that gets clamped up by Lu Dort that fails to impact a playoff series even in the slightest. Ingram's playoff performance has left a bad taste in the mouth's of Pelicans fans across the country. Ingram's poor postseason combined with David Griffin's comments about change coming to New Orleans have folks connecting the dots.
We may have seen Brandon Ingram play his last game as a New Orleans Pelican.
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers are monitoring the status of the former All Star.
"The player at the top of their list is Paul George."@WindhorstESPN thinks the Sixers are going to give PG-13 a max contract offer in free agency, and will look to monitor Jimmy Butler and Brandon Ingram's situations 👀 pic.twitter.com/bRVVY1XeeO
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 3, 2024
A trade between the two sides as they currently stands is pretty complicated. The Sixers only have three players with contracts that don't expire this offseason. Joel Embiid, Paul Reed, and Ricky Council IV are the only three players currently slated to be in Philadelphia next season.
Obviously, they'll re-sign Tyrese Maxey to his max deal, and rumors are flying about Philly either pursuing Paul George or Jimmy Butler. However, if they strike out on either of those two All-Star wings, Daryl Morey might come calling New Orleans' way.
Any deal for Ingram would have to involve a sign-and-trade to make the money work. The problem with that, is that Philadelphia doesn't have any non-Maxey players that would move the needle for New Orleans. Would a third team enter the fray to make money work? The Cavaliers, Clippers, Lakers, or Hawks come to mind.
Regardless of how it happens, Brandon Ingram is unlikely to be back in the Big Easy in 2024-25 and Philadelphia is the newest rumored suitor for his services. Since drafting Joel Embiid in 2014, the 76ers have been trying to complete the process of creating a championship contender in Philly, and Ingram looks like he could be the next step in "The Process."