Pelicans Floating Brandon Ingram in Trade Talks, per Report

Brandon Ingram may have a new address soon.

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly shopping the former All-Star forward as the 2024 NBA draft approaches. According to Kelly Iko, the franchise has approached both the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers about deals to ship Ingram out.

Iko said, “In recent days, rumors have swirled about the Pelicans dangling Ingram in trade talks and in one iteration, a hypothetical Ingram-for-Alperen Sengun swap was mentioned, but the Rockets have no interest, team sources said. League sources said New Orleans also contacted the Philadelphia 76ers concerning a possible Ingram trade.”

It’s not surprising the Pelicans were rebuffed in their pursuit of Sengun. The 21-year-old center is coming off a breakout third season in which he averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game. The former first-round pick is heading into the final year of his rookie deal and is in line for a big extension.

Ingram regressed slightly during the 2023-24 season as his numbers were down almost across the board from a career-year in 2022-23. This past campaign he averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 32.9 minutes per game.

The 26-year-old is entering the final season of a five-year, $158.3 million deal he inked with the Pelicans in 2020. He’s set to make $36 million for the 2024-25 campaign.

New Orleans finished the 2023-24 season with a 49-33 record and earned the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference through the play-in tournament. The trio of Ingram, Zion Williamson and C.J. McCollum isn’t getting it done, so it’s not sprurpsing the franchise is looking to shake things up.

Ingram is a useful player on an expiring contract. He has value around the league. It’s just a matter of the Pelicans finding a willing partner and the right match on players in return.