This past season, the New Orleans Pelicans struggled when Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram shared the court. The team had a -3 net rating in the regular season and a -35 net rating during the playoffs, resulting in a sweep by the Thunder. Despite Ingram being extension eligible this offseason, reports from NBA insider Marc Stein suggest that the Pelicans are planning to aggressively explore trading him.
Although Ingram is a high-level isolation scorer, averaging 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game this season, there seems to be a lack of natural chemistry between him and his teammates. New Orleans is focused on keeping Zion long-term and is not looking to part ways with McCollum, leaving Ingram potentially in a precarious position. The Pelicans have the option to extend Ingram for around $200 million this season but seem hesitant to do so. Instead, they are open to extending him at a number that works for the team, with the hope of adding better-fitting pieces around him, Zion, and McCollum.
However, if an extension cannot be agreed upon, the Pelicans are likely to pursue a trade for Ingram. Teams like Cleveland, who may want to shift their lineup dynamics
