NOLA Pelicans: Brandon Ingram's Last Ride?

The New Orleans Pelicans are dog shit. Before the season, they were without key players, like Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III. Then, at the start of the season, the Pelicans lost Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, and CJ McCollum. The only healthy starter on the New Orleans team has been Brandon Ingram. A player who has entered his prime and is playing on a team that made the play-in at its best. At the age of 27, he is looking for a team where he can compete for a title. There are many questions to come, like will Brandon Ingram get paid? Will teams look to pay Ingram the money he wants? And will the Pelicans let him walk out for nothing?

Lauri Markkanen's extension was a key factor in the trade and free agency markets. The rumor was that teams, like the Warriors and Rockets, wanted the All-Star player. But the design of the second apron punishes teams that spend a lot on contracts. That's why Minnesota traded their longtime All-Star, Karl-Anthony Towns. So it is hard to see BI get the money from another team that would please him. He is a B-tier player who is good at everything. But Ingram is not a player who can take it overnight in and night out. He will never explode on the scoring end to win games. Nor can he shut down the opposing players. knowing that it is hard to say if owners are willing to fork over that kind of money.

Teams are no longer looking to take a gamble on a player like Brandon Ingram. They do not look to sign a player who is a borderline All-Star. He is good at shooting, passing, and rebounding. He can create his shot with ease. Get his mid-range and three-point shooting off. He shoots 46 percent from the field and 37 percent from behind the arc. Now, teams no longer invest in top-heavy teams. Every organization now tries to build a team that can run seven deep. This could force Brandon to take a bargain instead of a few off-seasons ago when he would have gotten paid. Which leaves the Pelicans organization in a weird limbo.

David Griffin and the Pelicans have a lot of questions to answer in the 2025 off-season. Brandon Ingram could walk away, and the Pelicans get nothing. Which would make Anthony Davis's trade a huge loss for New Orleans. Either they could trade Ingram to another team that is willing to pay him, which seems far-fetched. So, like the Jazz, I could see the Pelicans re-signing Brandon Ingram. Keeping him long-term in the hopes of fixing their future. Both parties will have to compromise, as New Orleans can't move on, and Brandon won't get the money he wants. The design of NBA salaries allows owners to lowball many B-tier players like Brandon Ingram.

This could be Brandon Ingram's final season for the Pelicans. A run that saw injuries to their two-star players, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Now, there is a possibility that New Orleans could look to move off their two players. But a lot of factors stop both parties from parting ways. Salaries are a huge factor. The Pelicans can't move on from BI due to money, and Ingram won't get the money he wants. With the way the NBA is going, B-tier stars like BI won't get the money they used to see. This next off-season could be a lose-lose for both parties. This could be Brandon Ingram's last ride in New Orleans. But the Pelicans might keep their star for a few more years.

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