NBA Trade Rumors: At least 4 teams interested in Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram

At his end-of-season press conference, New Orleans Pelicans General Manager David Griffin made it clear that this offseason is a time for change in NOLA. Shortly after, a report surfaced that the organization wasn’t interested in signing forward Brandon Ingram to a contract extension.

Zion Williamson is the franchise in New Orleans and the 23-year-old is coming off the healthiest season of his career. Whatever Griffin decides to do this summer, Zion will be at the center of it.

It’s quickly become clear that the Pelicans will be moving on from Ingram, and despite some outside perceptions, the 26-year-old is an All-Star-caliber wing who will have plenty of suitors.

4 Eastern Conference teams interested in Brandon Ingram

The Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers all hold interest in Ingram, per Marc Stein. It was reported weeks ago that the Sixers are on the lookout for a wing to slide between Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. The Cavs have long been looking for an upgrade at the small forward spot and could lose Donovan Mitchell this summer.

The Magic need any source of offense it can find and Atlanta just needs to get better, even if the Hawks did land the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. All four franchises could use a player of Ingram’s caliber.

As Stein notes, though, it’s bad timing for New Orleans to try and find fair value for the 26-year-old as he comes off of a poor playoff performance. Ingram himself called this season, “probably the worst I’ve been in a New Orleans Pelican uniform.”

Still, the former No. 2 overall pick has averaged at least 20 points in each of his five seasons in New Orleans and has developed into a solid playmaker, dishing out more than five assists in each of his last three. An Ingram trade seems to be one of the more sure things in a summer of NBA uncertainty; the type of package Griffin and the Pelicans can get in return for him, though, will be intriguing to see.

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