Brandon Ingram trade talks reportedly ‘have intensified’

With Paul George and Klay Thompson having found new homes, options for teams trying to find more shot creation and shooting are drying up. This is why Utah is getting more calls about Lauri Markkanen and why interest in DeMar DeRozan appears to be picking up.

That also applies to the Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram, with more teams calling about a potential trade, Marc Stein wrote about in his latest newsletter.

Attempts in New Orleans to trade Brandon Ingram have intensified in recent days, league sources say. Sources tell The Stein Line that on Ingram’s side, with the reality that the contract extension terms his camp had hoped for are not forthcoming from the Pelicans, there has likewise been an exploration of trade options.

New Orleans doesn’t want to pay Ingram that next contract — he is entering the final year of his current deal at $36 million — and was looking to trade him before its addition of Dejounte Murray. The Pelicans have Trey Murphy III deserving more minutes on the wing and are looking to sign him to a rookie contract extension this offseason. Moving on from Ingram helps clear that pathway.

The Sacramento Kings have been the team most often mentioned in an Ingram trade, with a trade based around Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, and picks. The Kings have also explored using that package of players to get Lauri Markkanen out of Utah or Kyle Kuzma out of Washington.

Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists in almost 33 minutes a night for the Pelicans in the 64 games he played last season, but his injury history is a concern for teams looking to acquire him.