The New Orleans Pelicans know they are only a couple of pieces away from breaking past the play-in positions and making an actual push for a deep playoff run.
As expected, Zion Williamson is the key to the team’s success. Whenever he’s not busy getting injured or struggling to maintain fitness, the Duke product is asserting his dominance on the floor so well that even LeBron James had to praise him for his efforts.
Should Zion be fully healthy to play an entire NBA season, the question now lies on what happens next with Brandon Ingram. The 26-year-old forward reportedly wants to stay in the Big Easy, but the team may not see it the same way.
The fact that Ingram is continuously linked with multiple trade rumors is a likely sign of what the Pels will do in the offseason. One team may want to get Ingram, and the trade package they can offer might be too big for NOLA to refuse.
The New Orleans Pelicans can send Brandon Ingram to the Atlanta Hawks for Clint Capela
The Atlanta Hawks are struggling to build a team around Trae Young, and things have gotten frustrating to the point that they’re shopping the guard around for a possible rebuild.
Of course, they can decide to try it one more time by bringing over another piece that could complement Young’s trigger-happy play style. Joshua Buckhalter of Soaring Down South believes that Ingram could become the man the Hawks have been looking for.
Buckhalter pointed out that the advanced stats point to Ingram being a worse player than his averages last season (20.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 5.7 APG, 49.2% FG, 35.5% 3FG). However, he also explained that doing something is better than being stuck in a rut with Young forcing his way into the playoffs:
Still, adding Ingram would allow the Hawks to add another versatile player with length next to Trae Young in the starting lineup. It would also add another complimentary playmaker with Jalen Johnson.
The Hawks would have a chance to make another run for the postseason with Ingram in the mix and help facilitate a sign-and-trade next offseason if that pairing also failed.
Should the New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks greenlight this trade, it will completely transform how the teams play. Fans will be hopeful that such a deal would result in Zion having more room to dominate as usual.
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