Over the last year or two, some had been tabbing the New Orleans Pelicans as dark-horse championship contenders.
However, they got swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, and last year, they didn’t even make the playoffs.
As a result, significant changes could be made this offseason.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Pelicans player most likely to get traded is Brandon Ingram, per NBACentral.
Brandon Ingram is expected to be the Pelican most likely to be traded this offseason, per @MikeAScotto
“Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is considered the most likely player to be traded by rival executives who spoke with HoopsHype. Those executives believe the fit with Ingram… pic.twitter.com/Kxbb1AdhvS
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 10, 2024
Ever since arriving in the Anthony Davis trade in 2019, Ingram has emerged as a borderline All-Star, and he is one of the NBA’s better one-on-one scorers.
He averaged 20.8 points a game this season and had put up over 22 points per contest in each of the previous four seasons while being named an All-Star in 2020.
However, his ball-dominant style of play isn’t an ideal fit with Zion Williamson, who is New Orleans’ centerpiece and a special player when healthy.
Williamson just enjoyed his best season as a pro, as he played in a career-high 70 games and averaged 22.9 points a game.
Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury in the play-in tournament and was unable to play in his team’s first-round series versus the Thunder.
One big need the Pelicans have is a true point guard and floor general — CJ McCollum has been masquerading as one, but he is a natural shooting guard.
Ingram could perhaps fetch some good value on the open market, especially considering he’s just 26 years of age and has improved his passing considerably over the years.
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Pelicans Veteran Is Not Expected To Return This Offseason In Free Agency