The New Orleans Pelicans have firmly expressed their commitment to keeping Brandon Ingram, despite his lucrative eligibility for a contract extension. The team has made it clear that no immediate plans are in place to trade their star forward, even though both Ingram's camp and the Pelicans have reportedly explored potential trade scenarios that involve a max extension with other teams.
Financial Constraints
Brandon Ingram is set to earn $36 million in the 2024-25 season. Even though he is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $208 million, the Pelicans have opted not to offer it yet. The new collective-bargaining agreement has placed notable restrictions on the financial flexibility of teams. Specifically, teams cannot take back more salary than they send out if their payroll exceeds $178.1 million, the first apron. Additionally, teams over the second apron of $188.9 million face even harsher restrictions, such as the inability to aggregate multiple players' salaries in a trade.
Performance and Injury Concerns
Ingram's career started strong with the Pelicans, where he once attempted 4.2 catch-and-shoot threes per game, converting 42% of them. However, these attempts have steadily declined each year, raising some concerns over his consistency. Injury issues have also plagued the Pelicans. Ingram himself hyperextended his left knee just before the end of the last regular season, and fellow star Zion Williamson suffered a season-ending injury during the play-in tournament.
Team General Manager David Griffin candidly addressed these complexities, stating, "I think from a relationship standpoint, we've been really clear we'd prefer Brandon stays with us and Brandon's been pretty clear he prefers to stay with us. At the same time, there is a financial reality to this... we’re committed to each other."
Strategic Choices
The Pelicans recently made key moves, including trading for Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks and seeing Jonas Valanciunas leave in free agency. The trade for Murray also cost them Larry Nance Jr., which reduced their frontcourt depth. The team is now counting on a combination of Daniel Theis, rookie Yves Missi, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to fill the gaps left behind.
"In some markets, you don't have to make any decisions: You get a max, and you get a max, and you get a max, and you hoard talent. We're not that market," Griffin acknowledged, shedding light on the strategic intricacies that come with managing a team in a smaller market versus larger, more affluent teams. He went on to explain the dilemma, "When you don't have to pay them, you want all of them. And then when you actually have to hand them $50 million a year, mechanically, it gets complicated."
Future Prospects
Despite the hurdles, Griffin remains optimistic about Ingram’s role and the team’s strategy going forward. "Brandon went from not playing to, 'OK, now you have to carry us.' It was a really bad situation for Brandon," he stated, acknowledging the significant role Ingram has had to play under tough circumstances. "So we gotta make choices, right?... we’re going to have to do this in a really unique way. And I think we’re pretty committed to playing small,” he added.
The Pelicans plan to leverage their existing strengths while addressing their weaknesses through unconventional means. "I understand that everybody looks at the situation and goes, 'They’re missing this, they’re missing that,' but we also have a lot of strengths that we want to lean into," Griffin remarked, emphasizing the importance of tapping into the team's core competencies to achieve success.
As the Pelicans navigate these financial and strategic challenges, the commitment from both the team and Ingram provides a stable foundation for future endeavors. Whether or not this leads to playoff success, the determination to make it work within their unique constraints sets a tone of resilience and adaptability for the seasons ahead.