Over the past couple of seasons, there’s been a lot of talk about Brandon Ingram’s future with the New Orleans Pelicans, as he wants to get paid a considerable amount of money with a contract extension, which the team seems unwilling to pay.
With Ingram wanting more than the Pelicans are willing to offer, New Orleans trading him elsewhere at the NBA trade deadline makes a lot of sense, as many have believed that route is inevitable.
However, Ingram recently went down with a serious ankle injury that will keep him out a considerable amount of time, which may go through the trade deadline, making it even more difficult to move him in the coming weeks.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN via NBA Central, the contract extension talks between Ingram and the Pelicans were so far off that he was unwilling to accept lucrative offers from the team.
“They’ve been really balancing trade versus extension since the offseason,” Charania said. “As it stands right now, because of their salary cap situation for this year and for the next years to come, an extension at even his current salary at $36 million, they just can’t reach it as an organization as of right now. … 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.”
Brandon Ingram reportedly turned down an extension from New Orleans last year that would have paid him $50 million per year, per @ShamsCharania
(h/t @PelsFilmRoom )
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— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 10, 2024
It’ll be interesting to see what happens with Ingram moving forward, as there’s a chance he gets moved before the trade deadline and plays out the rest of the season with the team he’s dealt to, and tests NBA free agency this summer, which might not go well for him if his demands aren’t met.
Only time will tell what Ingram’s future holds, but as of right now, things aren’t looking good for the former No. 2 overall pick.
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