Potential New Orleans Pelicans Trade Swaps Forwards and Adds New Center

The New Orleans Pelicans could look to make this move for a new young option at forward and gives team new center to work with.

Apr 13, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) reacts to a play against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half of a play-in playoff game at the Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans shopping around of their star forward Brandon Ingram this offseason hasn't been quiet, but also hasn't been successful.

Ingram is a very good player, but simply hasn't been the best fit with the rest of their roster. He also wants a bigger contract that the team seemingly don't want to offer.

As Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report continued to look around for a trade partner the Pelicans might be interested in dealing with, he put together an interesting package that New Orleans would say yes to in an instant.

The trade would see the Pelicans send Ingram to the San Antonio Spurs in return for Keldon Johnson, Zach Collins, two protected 2025 first-round picks and three second-round selections over the next couple of drafts.

Johnson would be an intriguing replacement for New Orleans at small forward. He doesn't offer the same playmaking ability that Ingram does, but brings more potential as a shooter which may be more important to space the floor.

He's come into his own since being a late first-round draft pick in 2019. Over the past three seasons, he's averaging 18.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. In that span, he shot 35.8 percent from beyond the arc on just under six attempts per game.

He's under contract for the next three years, earning an average of $18 million each season which would him a much cheaper option in the long run than Ingram would be.

Collins would add another option with plenty of experience for a New Orleans team that needs another center after losing Jonas Valanciunas. A piecemeal center room of Collins, Daniel Theis and Yves Missi isn't elite, but could be good enough with the team trending towards a small-ball lineup.

Both players have at least some experience with the Pelicans' newly-acquired star point guard Dejounte Murray, which is another plus.

Murray's best years of his career came while playing with these two, but was only with Collins for about 20 games.

Still, bringing the three together could help the transition both on and off the court for each player.

The trade makes sense for the Spurs as well. Acquiring Ingram could turn them into a more serious playoff contenders.

San Antonio has been focused on shoring up the offensive side of the ball with players that fit well alongside their young superstar Victor Wembanyama.

Adding Ingram gives them a player who has averaged 23.1 points, 5.5. rebounds and 4.3 assists since joining New Orleans. His improved playmaking and shot creation has seen him nearing six assists per games in each of the last three seasons.