2 goals Brandon Ingram must meet to become untouchable for the Pelicans

It’s been a tumultuous summer for Brandon Ingram, although his latest hairstyle might suggest that he’s been having an easy breezy vacation rather than an offseason full of nasty gossip. After the New Orleans Pelicans failed again to make a deep playoff run in his fifth season with the team, the trade Brandon Ingram movement got much louder.

Pundits and analysts have been surmising for years now that Ingram and Zion Williamson are less than an ideal fit together due to their overlapping hot spots and mutual aversion to defense. Now that New Orleans has thrown CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray into the mix as well, the sentiment that BI should be dealt away in return for a bevy of strong role players has gained a lot of traction.

If this summer was any indication, it appears that Vice President David Griffin and the rest of the Pelicans brass are willing to give it another shot with Ingram, if at least for a few months before the trade deadline. If he wants to stay in New Orleans, Brandon Ingram will have to hit these goals to make himself untouchable.

Goals to help Brandon Ingram remain on the New Orleans Pelicans

1. Become a feared 3-point shooter once again

Brandon Ingram was expected to be an elite three-level scorer coming into this league. So far, that’s only been technically true. For most players, it’s the midrange that keeps them from holding that title, but BI thrives on middies. In his past few seasons, it’s his 3-point shooting that’s been a major letdown.

In his first two seasons in New Orleans, Ingram stroked over 38 percent of his triples on over six deep attempts per game. In his last three campaigns, he hasn’t eclipsed 4.2 3-point attempts in any season and is hitting just 35.4 percent from beyond the arc.

That hasn’t cut it. He’ll need to at least return to form from when he first arrived in the Big Easy, if he wants to remain a Pelican and maximize the success of this team.

2. Focus on defense

With Dejounte Murray joining a core that already featured BI, Zion, and CJ, there should be a lightened offensive workload for everyone on the Pelicans, including Ingram. When he first arrived in New Orleans, he was expected to be a two-way force, as he showed defensive promise with the Los Angeles Lakers as a long and agile wing who could shadow nearly every perimeter attacker.

Since then, though, due to a combination of injuries, fatigue, and lack of urgency, Ingram has severely regressed as a defender. With his frame and athleticism, he has the tools to be an impactful stopper both on and off the ball, but he hasn’t had a positive defensive on-off rating since the 2021-22 season.

This year, the Pelicans will need him to step up on D, as they lost several of their best defenders from last season. With his lightened offensive workload and the team’s needs, he should answer the call resoundingly if he wants to stay in New Orleans.