3 Teams Who Should Trade for New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram

The New Orleans Pelicans would be best served trading Brandon Ingram, and these three teams could be of interest.

Dec 2, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) looks to pass the ball against Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) during the first half at United Center. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2024-25 NBA regular season just about six weeks away, the New Orleans Pelicans have a few major questions to answer. Arguably the biggest is, what is going to happen with Brandon Ingram?

The former All-Star is seeking a big-money, long-term deal that the Pelicans have been unwilling to meet his asking price for. That has led to trade rumors swirling, but his market reportedly isn’t very strong.

Whichever team acquires Ingram would be inheriting the same issue of having to pay him a top-of-the-market contract.

Alas, it only takes one suitor to get a deal done. While no team has emerged to this point, there are a few teams around the league who could have the Duke product among their favorite trade targets.

Here are three teams that would make sense as suitors for Ingram.

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls could see Ingram has a way to move off of Zach LaVine’s contract. It would some real maneuvering and the inclusion of several assets for anyone to take LaVine off of their hands, but a multi-team trade could do the trick.

Bleacher Report shared one blockbuster deal that involved the Golden State Warriors. We try our hand with another, this one involving the Utah Jazz.

Money-wise under NBA rules, a three-team trade involving the Jazz with five players being on the move would work. Utah would receive LaVine, leaning into their rebuild/tank while receiving multiple first-round picks from the Bulls and New Orleans.

Walker Kessler and John Collins would land with the Pelicans. Chicago would get Ingram and Jordan Clarkson, helping keep the team competitive as they don’t want a full teardown.

That could be the player framework of a deal that each team comes away happy from. Chicago rids themselves of LaVine, potentially clearing a ton of cap. Utah doesn’t have a real need for LaVine, but Danny Ainge loves draft picks. The Pelicans' need for a center is addressed as well.

Indiana Pacers

New Orleans's need for a center comes into play here as well. Myles Turner is an ideal target for the Pelicans given his floor-spacing ability on offense and rim protection on defense.

He is the perfect fit alongside Zion Williamson in the frontcourt. For the Pacers, they would be getting a look at how Ingram fits with their core, as some help on the wing could certainly be used.

Monetarily, something like Turner and Obi Toppin for Ingram works monetarily, but that isn’t a deal Indiana would have real interest in making. The Pacers aren't going to give him up easily, as David Griffin would have to sweeten the package with more than Ingram. 

Restocking the draft picks they used to acquire Pascal Siakam so that they can make another move, could be attractive as the Pacers look to continue their rise in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit Pistons

If there is a front office that knows what Ingram brings to the table more than New Orleans, it is the Detroit Pistons. They are now led by Trajan Langdon, who left the Pelicans to join the Pistons’ front office.

Detroit needs to find ways to upgrade their lineup after some truly abysmal seasons. Ingram would help them accomplish that, providing the team with another shot creator to take pressure off of Cade Cunningham.

They already made one splash this offseason signing Tobias Harris as a veteran presence. Ingram would be another, but one that more closely fits the timeline of the young, emerging players the Pistons hope make up their next core.