Pelicans’ Reported Efforts To Trade Brandon Ingram Come With Several Roadblocks

The Pelicans have reportedly been trying to move Ingram since last offseason, but so far, they’ve hit every roadblock imaginable. From his hefty $36 million expiring contract to his insistence on a max or near-max extension with any new team, finding a deal has proven more than tricky.

Now, as New Orleans stumbles to a dreadful 4-16 start, the pressure to make something happen has only increased.

Injuries have gutted this team, and Zion Williamson’s extended absence with a hamstring issue isn’t helping matters. The Pelicans sit 6.5 games out of the final play-in spot in a crowded Western Conference, and barring a dramatic turnaround, their postseason hopes are already on life support.

So what’s the holdup with Ingram? As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted, it’s a combination of factors. New Orleans wants to shed salary and avoid paying the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history, while also getting value in return for the 26-year-old forward.

Meanwhile, Ingram is reportedly holding firm on his desire to sign a lucrative new deal, complicating matters further. Simply put, no team is eager to give up major assets for a rental or commit to a max extension under the NBA’s restrictive new CBA.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps echoed those concerns, pointing out that salary cap constraints and tax apron rules have left several teams handcuffed.

Ingram’s skillset — he’s averaged 20+ points per game for six straight seasons — would normally make him a hot commodity. But in this new financial landscape, few franchises are eager to take the plunge.

That leaves the Pelicans stuck in limbo. Management faces tough decisions, and with the team sliding further into irrelevance, talk of pivoting to focus on the NBA Draft could soon become unavoidable.

Yes, it’s still early, but this is not the Eastern Conference, where a sub-.500 record might keep you in the mix. In the West, the margin for error is razor-thin.

For now, the Pelicans seem poised to ride things out with Ingram, even as trade rumors swirl. It’s a frustrating scenario for a franchise that once hoped to build something special around Ingram and Williamson.

But nothing has come easy for New Orleans this season, and by the looks of it, that isn’t changing anytime soon.