New Orleans Pelicans Stun The NBA By Trading Superstar Brandon Ingram To NBA Heavyweight In Blockbuster Trade Proposal

Brandon Ingram (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
With the New Orleans Pelicans enduring another tremendously disappointing season, star big man Brandon Ingram is another name to follow in the trade rumor mill.

The Pelicans enter Thursday as the worst team in the Western Conference (5-22), with only the Washington Wizards (3-21) displaying an inferior record. It’s clear that a rebuild is necessary in NOLA, and that would start with trading core players like Brandon Ingram and/or Zion Williamson.

Svyatoslav Rovenchuk of Athlon Sports recently proposed a blockbuster trade idea that has New Orleans trading Ingram and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to the powerhouse Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney and De’Anthony Melton:

“The swap allows the Warriors to add another All-Star caliber player around Curry. Meanwhile, the Pelicans land a worthwhile young prospect and a handful of expiring contracts. One could argue that Golden State would need to add some sort of draft pick compensation too, but given Ingram’s modest value, Kuminga may offer more than enough appeal to not have to do so.”

Ingram is having another productive season, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. The Warriors already completed a trade for Dennis Schröder with the Brooklyn Nets, but adding Ingram to a group led by Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield could take this offense to another level.

The 27-year-old Ingram came over to New Orleans as part of the 2019 blockbuster trade that saw Anthony Davis go to the Los Angeles Lakers. Ingram has done his part for New Orleans, but it feels like a good time to move on with a Pelicans rebuild inevitable.

Brandon Ingram Would Make Warriors Even More Potent

The Warriors sit in a three-way tie for sixth in the Western Conference with a record of 14-11. By adding a player like Ingram, they would close the gap with top Eastern Conference clubs like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks.