San Antonio Spurs Named a Landing Spot For New Orleans Pelicans Forward

Are the San Antonio Spurs a good landing spot if the New Orleans Pelicans decide to trade Brandon Ingram?

Dec 17, 2023; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks over New Orleans Pelicans Brandon Ingram (14) during the first half at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

As the start of the season gets closer for the New Orleans Pelicans, there are still a lot of discussions about what the future will hold for Brandon Ingram. 

This offseason, Ingram was one of the most talked about players in trade rumors. Ingram is set to become a free agent soon, and the Pelicans haven’t shown a ton of interest in handing Ingram a massive contract. 

While many thought that Ingram might be traded by New Orleans, the Pelicans were actually aggressive in the trade market and brought in Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. 

The trio of Ingram, Murray, and Zion Williamson is a very interesting one, as all three are talented on an individual level. However, as we have seen with Ingram and Williamson, they haven’t complemented each other much on the offensive end. 

If things don’t mesh with the three, New Orleans could certainly entertain the option on moving on from Ingram. 

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the San Antonio Spurs being a fit for Ingram in a potential trade. 

“Since Victor Wembanyama is on his rookie deal and Devin Vassell signed for less than the max, San Antonio might even be able to justify a slight overpay of Ingram for the next two or three years (though talking itself into a max might still be tough).”

“And if there's an organization and coaching staff that might finally be able to leverage Ingram's frame toward really good defense, it might be San Antonio.”

The Spurs would certainly be an interesting landing spot for Ingram, as the franchise seeks to pair a star with Victor Wembanyama. As we saw in his rookie season, the sky is the limit for Wembanyama, and he could be the best player in the league in a couple of years at this rate. 

Pairing Ingram with Wembanyama would give the Spurs a ton of length, as Wembanyama is already arguably the best shot blocker in the league. Ingram’s length on the wing also makes him an excellent defender. 

However, like in New Orleans, it might be the offensive end that is an issue. Ingram is best with the ball in his hands and isn’t much of a floor spacer. While he is talented, that does limit who he pairs well with on the court. 

While the fit on offense might not be ideal, Ingram would be a massive upgrade for the Spurs, as a player that can average over 20 points a night. If things don’t go well for the Pelicans to start the season, the Spurs have the resources to pull off a trade if they feel like it makes sense.