Brandon Ingram‘s time with the New Orleans Pelicans has come to an end on Wednesday ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. The Pelicans traded Ingram to the Toronto Raptors. In exchange, they will receive Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirmed on X (formerly Twitter).
Breaking: The New Orleans Pelicans have traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/tI4jo2cYhM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
Ingram’s name has been linked to multiple trade talks in the 2024-25 season. One main reason behind this is because of his expiring deal with New Orleans. The 6-foot-8 forward is in the final year of his five-year, $158 million contract.
According to Charania’s report in December 2024, Ingram reportedly turned down a major contract offer from the Pelicans. The NBA Insider revealed that the contract extension would have given him a new deal that could have allowed him to earn around the ballpark of $50 million a year.
“They’ve been really bouncing trade versus extension since the offseason,” Charania said. “As it stands right now, because of their salary cap situation this year and the next years to come, an extension at even his current salary of $36 million, they just can’t reach it as an organization, as of right now. That’s what makes the trade route more likely.”
"An extension even at his current salary of $36mil they just can't reach it as an organization. That is what makes the trade route more likely… Ingram turned down an extension of $50mil in 2023… I expect him to have a robust market"
— @ShamsCharania on Brandon Ingram pic.twitter.com/xg9AUZfiC8
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) December 10, 2024
“When you think about the last couple of off-seasons, Brandon Ingram turned down an extension of $50 million per year in 2023, and an extension of about $40 million from what I’m told this past offseason,” Charania said. “I expected him to have a robust market between now and the deadline.”
Ingram played for the Pelicans for six seasons and emerged as an All-Star-caliber player. He won the Most Improved Player award in the 2018-19 season (his first season with the team). Overall, he averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the New Orleans organization.
Pelicans were initially open to re-signing Brandon Ingram to a new deal as a free agent
In January, it was reported by Jake Fischer on the “Stein Line,” that the Pelicans were still open to the idea of keeping Brandon Ingram. Unfortunately for the New Orleans organization, the star forward wasn’t responsive to the earlier offers they presented.
“I’m told that the Pelicans still remain open to re-signing Ingram this summer after the sides were unable to agree to a contract extension this past offseason,” Fischer wrote. “Ingram, sources said, was not amenable to New Orleans’ offers that landed in the $40 million range in average annual value. Yet it could well be just as challenging for Ingram, who makes $36 million this season, to find that type of money available on the open market this summer — just as is often said about Jimmy Butler’s quest for a high-dollar contract if the back-with-Miami Butler declines his $52.4 million player option for 2025-26.”
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
