The Pelicans are unwilling to include Brandon Ingram in a trade offer for Nets star Kevin Durant, league sources tell Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
New Orleans has been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Durant, who is pushing for a trade out of Brooklyn. Building an offer around Ingram would mean offering up a young forward with an All-Star nod on his résumé — the Pelicans would also be able to dip into their draft pick surplus from the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday blockbusters to give the Nets the kind of future assets they’re believed to be seeking.
However, according to Clark, the Pelicans want to see how Ingram and Zion Williamson play together in 2022-23, with Williamson on track to return from a foot injury that sidelined him for the entire ’21-22 season. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype previously reported in late July that the Pelicans had yet to put Ingram on the table in trade talks for Durant.
While it’s possible New Orleans will make some minor roster changes before opening night, Clark says not to expect any “earth-shattering” moves, adding that it’s unlikely the club will get seriously involved in the Durant sweepstakes.
In his latest look at the Durant situation, Sam Amick of The Athletic writes that executives around the league view the Celtics as the “unofficial” frontrunners to land the 33-year-old due to their reported willingness to include Jaylen Brown in their offer. However, league sources tell Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe the C’s aren’t close to making a deal for Durant and haven’t even really engaged in any “discussions of substance” with the Nets.
Brooklyn could accelerate the process by lowering the asking price for the former MVP, but there’s no indication that will happen anytime soon, if at all.
“(Nets general manager Sean) Marks is still asking for the world; that won’t change,” one front executive told Amick late last week.
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