Brandon Ingram's Future with New Orleans Pelicans a Storyline to Watch

As we head into the 2024-25 NBA Season, Brandon Ingram's status with the New Orleans Pelicans is a storyline to watch.

Apr 29, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) looks on against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) during the first half of game four of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Smoothie King Center. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans have wrapped up a busy offseason and are getting set to hopefully improve this year. 

After being eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, the Pelicans wasted no time getting to work to improve the team in the offseason. 

New Orleans pulled off a blockbuster deal with the Atlanta Hawks to bring Dejounte Murray to town. Murray was a highly sought after player this offseason, and it was the Pelicans who got a deal completed for him. 

In addition to Murray being rumored to be traded in the offseason, there were also a lot of rumors surrounding Brandon Ingram. Ingram is entering the final year of his contract and is set to make a lot of money. 

New Orleans doesn’t seem all that committed to Ingram long-term as of now, as his future with the team is very much in question. 

Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the status of Ingram being the top storyline to watch for New Orleans. 

“Ingram isn't the type of shooter or stopper New Orleans would really want for Zion Williamson's co-star. Plus, Ingram needs a new deal by next summer, and as a former No. 2 pick who has booked an All-Star trip and posted a lot of All-Star-esque statistics, he's looking to get paid.”

“Ingram might be the league's most obvious trade candidate not named Zach LaVine, yet Ingram remains a Crescent City resident. The Pelicans presumably never found a taker, and now both sides are exploring the possibility of extending their relationship. Is there a way this can actually work, or is this a marriage of convenience until something better comes along?”

The situation in New Orleans with Ingram is certainly an interesting one. Ingram can be an All-Star caliber player that a team hoping to contend would usually never entertain trading. However, Ingram’s fit with Zion Williamson has been questioned. 

Williamson has proven to be at his best with the ball in his hand, and that means he needs people who can shoot the ball efficiently around him. While Ingram is a great talent, he has never been known for his jump-shot, especially from three-point range. 

At this point, the Pelicans will likely try to see how things work with Murray, Williamson, and Ingram. It might take some time to gel, but if they do, they will be one of the best trios in the league. However, if they don’t, expect to see Ingram’s name mentioned in trade rumors.