ESPN recently spoke about how every team in the NBA could nail the offseason. What would the New Orleans Pelicans have to do to achieve this?
The New Orleans Pelicans were able to make the playoffs last season, but after an early first-round exit, there is work to do to get this team to the next level. One of the biggest storylines for the Pelicans is the situation surrounding Brandon Ingram.
Ingram was one of the biggest pieces in the Anthony Davis trade a few seasons ago. While Ingram has become a good player, he hasn’t reached the superstar level some may have been hoping for.
Recently, ESPN spoke about how the New Orleans Pelicans could nail this offseason. Here’s what they had to say.
With All-Star forward Brandon Ingram entering the final season of his contract, the time is right for the Pelicans to deal him for a player who better fits alongside Zion Williamson and the rest of their young core.
Ideally, that player would be Cleveland’s Garland, who would offer more long-range shooting and playmaking than Ingram and free a spot in the starting five for Trey Murphy III. New Orleans would be wise to extend Murphy, who otherwise will become a restricted free agent next summer. — Kevin Pelton
Trading Ingram would certainly be a bold decision for the Pelicans, but a proposed trade for Darius Garland would make a lot of sense for the team. Garland has been an excellent guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers, and his fit alongside Donovan Mitchell might not be the best for them.
Moving on from Ingram in New Orleans would be a signal that they are going to be focused on building around Zion Williamson. While Williamson has all the talent in the world, he hasn’t proved that he can stay healthy yet. This is a big risk for the New Orleans Pelicans, as their once-young core is getting older and moving on.
Without a doubt, deciding on what to do with Ingram is key for the franchise this offseason.
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