How a New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram Trade With Spurs Could Look

Here is what a trade between the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs centered around Brandon Ingram could look like.

Dec 1, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) dunks the ball against San Antonio Spurs forward Zach Collins (23) during the first half at the Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

One of the biggest storylines in the NBA approaching the 2024-25 regular season is the future of New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

Ingram has been involved in a ton of trade rumors this summer as he and the team have been unable to agree on a contract extension. The No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft is reportedly seeking a max deal, which the Pelicans are not going to give him.

His future became even murkier when he didn’t report for the voluntary minicamp that was held last week. The expectation was that he would be in attendance, but he was a no-show.

The only other player who did not participate was Daniel Theis, who played this summer for Germany in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

In years past, an event like that is something that Ingram organized for his teammates.

Currently, the market for the former All-Star is virtually non-existent. Teams around the league view him in a similar light as Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls.

Ingram doesn’t have the injury concerns of LaVine, but he is looked at as a high-scoring All-Star who doesn’t move the needle much when it comes to winning games. He may not view himself in that light, but that seems to be where the market has set its price.

However, there were several teams recently suggested as landing spots for him. One of the teams mentioned was the San Antonio Spurs.

What could a trade between New Orleans and the Spurs centered around Ingram look like? Monetarily, matching up salaries would be pretty straightforward. Figuring out draft compensation, if any, is tougher.

One trade idea that could interest both teams is center Zach Collins and forward Keldon Johnson heading to the Pelicans, along with a 2025 top-14 protected first-round pick via the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Ingram.

For San Antonio, the fit of Ingram in their lineup isn’t a perfect fit. They have made it clear that Devin Vassell and Victor Wembanyama are who they want to build their game plan around and the former All-Star could eat into their touches.

But, if any team can unlock the two-way potential Ingram possesses, it is them. At the very least, having someone in the lineup who has averaged at least 20.8 points per game in five straight seasons will take pressure off of Wembanyama.

New Orleans addressed their glaring need in the middle. Collins saw his role cut back drastically last season once San Antonio embraced using the French phenom as their starting center, but would be a nice fit for Willie Green’s rotation.

The Gonzaga product is capable of doing a little bit of everything on the court. He can be a playmaker and stretch the floor a little bit on offense while providing some toughness and rim protection on defense.

Johnson plays the same position as Ingram, which could leave the logjam in place. But, he would come off the bench, clearing the way for Trey Murphy and Herbert Jones to both start along with Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson.

Loaded with a boatload of draft picks, the Spurs can afford to unload one protected pick in this deal to sweeten the package for the cap-conscious Pelicans who are taking on long-term money.