Why Pelicans extending Brandon Ingram wouldn’t be surprising despite trade speculation

The New Orleans Pelicans and Brandon Ingram are at a crossroads. The team needs a player more willing to take three-pointers to space the floor around Zion Williamson. Ingram wants the security of a long-term contract extension this summer. Despite the ramped-up trade rumors to come, it would not be surprising to see the franchise stick with the former All-Star going into next season.

Sure, this was not the ending anyone in New Orleans wanted. Still, Ingram’s honesty was appreciated following a lackluster Game 4 performance by the Pelicans. It was a team loss but Willie Green continually leaned on Ingram as a defensive leader and offensive hub. Instead, the Pelicans got eight points, six assists, and two turnovers from Ingram in 38 minutes. The 26-year-old went 2-14 from the field and missed a trio of three-pointers in the series finale.

It’s painful to admit but Ingram’s lingering injury was in part to blame for the subpar play. A four-game stretch is not a big enough sample size to sour the front office’s admiration for what Ingram has meant to the organization. Those facts will not stop the Pelicans and Ingram from facing another summer of uncertainty amid trade chatter. The Duke alum is eligible to sign a four-year extension worth $208 million this summer.

At over $50 million a season, there are only three options to consider: sign an extension, a summer trade, or a deadline deal amid another mediocre season.

The problem for the Pelicans is that Ingram’s value could not be much lower. That is the biggest reason why a less-than-max level extension makes more sense than a trade. Retaining a top 100 player type of asset is more important than selling low before the next season starts.

Ingram is moderately expensive next season ($36MM) and just had several weaknesses exposed by Lu Dort. Worse, Ingram wilted away as the series wore on and shied away from the biggest moments in Game 4. With the season on the line in a three-point game and 5:32 on the fourth-quarter clock, Ingram passed up an easy layup with an unexpected kick out to Naji Marshall. The following Marshall three-pointer was an air ball.

That play summed up the series and it’s a sour note to go out on. Ingram averaged 14.3 points on 34.5% shooting with 3.3 assists and 2.3 turnovers against the Thunder. The Pelicans were depending on him to be a scorer and creator with Williamson out. Instead, Ingram solidified a legacy as the second wheel on a playoff team at best. He will likely be the third option, a connecting facilitator, on a championship-level squad.

Ingram’s future, and how much it is worth on the market, was not on the mind after being swept out of the NBA Playoffs.

“That’s not in the front of my mind right now,” Ingram said. “This is a place where I got my first All-Star (appearance). Where they let me be myself. I have good relationships with everyone. But you never know. I will take a few weeks off and think about what’s best for me, what’s best for my family. Then take it from there. No matter what, I have a lot of love for the city of New Orleans. For the fans. They did nothing but treat me right. There is some unfinished business here.”

Pelicans, Brandon Ingram contract extension talks tough

New Orleans has seen this story play out before. They draft a superstar, who eventually demands a trade. The return is a scattering of talented prospects and future draft picks. The flawed lottery pick acquired in return eventually plays just well enough to leave town. For example, there is still animosity within the fanbase for Eric Gordon.

Ingram will never get booed the way Gordon, granted, but it is hard to ignore the flaws. The front office cannot make the same gun-shy mistakes of the previous regime when it comes to dealing with Ingram’s future. Regardless of Ingram’s league-wide respect, his disregard for the coaching staff’s ‘take-more-three-pointers’ directives cannot be ignored. If Ingram insists on a max-level deal worth more than $50 million, New Orleans needs to move on.

If the two sides can find a middle ground, great. There are milestones to celebrate despite the early postseason exit. Williamson hit a career-high in games played, finally becoming the team’s unquestionable centerpiece. As for Ingram, he appeared in 64 games while averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. The Pelicans won 49 regular-season games, tied for their second-most in franchise history.

And Ingram was admittedly nowhere near his best. Paired with his lowered market value, there are several good reasons to start next season with the same Williamson-Ingram duo doing the heavy lifting. Ingram on an extension will still be worth plenty at the next trade deadline if the Pelicans hit another ceiling.

“I’ll be honest,” Ingram said. “This was, from (Team) USA up to this season, this was probably the worst I’ve been in a New Orleans Pelican uniform. I’m motivated by that. I can go back and blame coaches. I can blame everybody else but myself. But I have to go look myself in the mirror and tell myself what I really need to do. How can I help this team? How can I help the coaches?”

An obviously disappointed Ingram showed an All-Star level of accountability after the Game 4 defeat.

“I just want to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” Ingram said. “I want somebody around me that’s going to push me. I don’t want no one around me to be a yes-man. I want someone to tell me exactly what it is. I just want to go to work. I just want to go work and be a better version of myself.”

The only question is what matters more. If he wants to do that in New Orleans, a max-level contract might have to be negotiated down to about 80%. Pelicans Executive Vice President David Griffin minced no words during the team’s exit interviews the day after being eliminated from the NBA Playoffs.

“This will not be a summer of complacency. It’s time to get better.”