The New Orleans Pelicans and 10-32 and the NBA trade deadline is right around the corner -- get ready.
If there was ever a year to be a seller for the Pelicans, it'd be this one, and NBA Insider Bobby Marks sees star forward Brandon Ingram as the most likely candidate ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline to complete deals.
"[Ingram] would probably be the guy you’ve got to circle," Marks told WWL's Mike Detillier and Charlie Long. "I think ... you’ve got to get the right deal. That’s the hardest part about all of this is that when you have a guy that’s making $36-37 million and is a good player but has been out for most of the year with the injuries."
Listen to the full interview with NBA Insider Bobby Marks in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
Ingram has been his typical self as an combo forward when healthy this season with averages of 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. The issue is he's only been available for 18 of the Pelicans' 42 games as the season has largely gone down the tubes. The Pelicans currently sit with the worst record in the Western Conference and 11 games out of the 10 seed with 40 left to play.
Further complicating any potential trade is an unsettled contract situation. The Pelicans and Ingram couldn't come to terms on an extension this past offseason, meaning any team trading for Ingram would be getting him on the final year of a 5-year, $158 million contract signed back in the 2020-'21 season. As Marks points out, any return for Ingram would likely be contingent on whether the team trading for him anticipates that he would sign an extension and make that team his new home. Trading Ingram as a rental would not fetch quite as much interest.
"I think that plays a big role in it, where if he’s going to extend as soon as he’s traded, then maybe it’s a little bit more," Marks continued. "I do think, certainly, I think the value is at least a first-round pick, I would think, you know."
If the Pelicans took the surprise path and held onto Ingram, expect a trade somewhere. The team currently sits $1.4 million over the threshold that would hand the team a luxury tax bill. Whether it's a big move or a small move, something will be done to clear that in the coming weeks.
"When you’re a team that’s in the lottery, you’re not going to pay the luxury tax, which you could get probably $18-19 million back," Marks said. "So there’s going to be a trade out there somewhere whether it be Brandon or whether it maybe one of their minimum guys they’re moving off to kind of dip under there.”
The Pelicans are next in action on Friday when they host the Utah Jazz (10-29) for a 7 p.m. tipoff inside the Smoothie King Center.
