Raptors make a baffling move with trade for star forward

In a shocking deadline deal, the Raptors acquired impending free agent Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans for center Kelly Olynyk, swingman Bruce Brown and two draft picks. The deal indicates that the Raptors are prepared to — and perhaps have already agreed to — give Ingram a lucrative long-term contract.

Last season, Toronto traded veterans OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, both members of its 2019 championship team. It got RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and plus a package of picks. With the 16-35 Raptors holding the NBA's fifth-worst record and a strong draft class awaiting, it looked like the team would ride out the rebuild.

But apparently the Raptors, or team president Masai Ujiri, got sick of losing. Now they're apparently prepared to go forward with Quickley, Ingram and Scottie Barnes all on lucrative long-term deals.

Perhaps Ingram will be a hit playing the four alongside Barnes, Quickley and Barrett, but it feels short-sighted to lock in the core of a team that's won a third of their games with a 27-year-old, who has played only 18 games this season for a team that's 12-38. Ingram is a one-time All-Star but he's missed an average of 28 games per year the last four seasons.

The Pelicans couldn't find a taker for Ingram, who's been available for trade since June, until a day before the deadline. Suddenly Toronto decided he was a key piece of its future. It's a gamble, and one that doesn't seem like it was thought out well.