Pelicans Star Brandon Ingram Fuels Trade Rumors With Latest Decision

The New Orleans Pelicans have been playing a game of will they, won’t they with star forward Brandon Ingram all offseason. New Orleans has put Ingram into trade talks with him about to enter the final year of his contract.

The team has reportedly not been willing to give Ingram a max-level deal, sparking the idea of a trade. So far, nothing has materialized, but if the Pelicans don’t want to lose him for nothing in free agency, a move will need to be made.

Ingram recently sparked trade speculation, just when things had started to slow down, with a cryptic social media post. But it doesn’t stop there with recent events that could lead to the All-Star being traded.

Read more: Pelicans Star Brandon Ingram Sparks Trade Speculation With Cryptic Social Media Post

According to William Guillory of The Athletic, Ingram made some waves when he didn’t attend a week-long voluntary minicamp that New Orleans held in California. The team believed he would show up but Ingram never made an appearance.

“Our first indication came last week when Ingram did not attend a week-long voluntary minicamp held by Pelicans players in California, which featured every player on the roster except Ingram and recent signee Daniel Theis. (Zion Williamson left early for a series of Jordan Brand events in China, which the Pelicans and the rest of the players anticipated.) The Pelicans believed Ingram would be there, but he never showed, according to team sources.”

This would have given the Pelicans players a chance to connect before the start of the season so the absence of Ingram could be telling. New Orleans is looking to get back to the postseason and made a summer blockbuster trade for guard Dejounte Murray to help make it happen.

The Pelicans believe adding Murray to their core could be the missing piece that they have been looking for. However, this issue with Ingram has halted some progress in team chemistry.

Throughout his career, Ingram’s ability to score the ball at different levels has been his best trait but injuries have also taken over his career. This fact, combined with the emergence of wing Trey Murphy III, has put the Pelicans into a bind regarding their All-Star.

Last season, Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game over 64 games for New Orleans. Both sides take a risk in going through the season without a resolution but it now seems likely at this point that he will either be traded or play out the final year of his deal to enter into free agency.

More news: Pelicans Sign Free Agent Wing to Build Out Roster