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There is still time for the Los Angeles Lakers to make a significant move this offseason, but it will likely need to come in the NBA trade market. Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz offered a wild three-team trade proposal that has the Lakers reuniting with former forward Brandon Ingram.
The deal involves the Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers. In exchange for landing Ingram, Los Angeles moves D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood, a 2025 second rounder and another 2025 second-round pick (via Clippers) in the deal.
The Pelicans are securing Blazers star guard Anfernee Simons, center Robert Williams III and Christian Wood. New Orleans is moving on from Ingram and Jordan Hawkins as part of the deal.
Finally, Portland nets Hachimura, Hawkins, Russell and the two 2025 second rounders from Los Angeles.
Let’s explore whether this trade makes any sense for the Lakers, Blazers and Pelicans.
Potential Lakers Trade Target Brandon Ingram Is on a 5-Year, $158 Million Contract
One question for the Lakers to consider is whether the team wants to sign Ingram to a new lucrative long-term extension. Ingram is heading into the final season of a five-year, $158.2 million contract. The forward is slated to have a $36 million cap hit in 2024-25.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have been hiding in plain sight as a landing spot for Ingram, the franchise that he spent the first three years of his career with after being named the No. 2 overall pick in 2016 out of Duke,” Swartz wrote in an August 15, 2024, story titled, “A 3-Team Trade to Send Brandon Ingram Back to Lakers, Land Pelicans a Starting Center.”
“A new Big Three of Ingram, LeBron James and Anthony Davis should complement each other quite well, although the Lakers don’t have a center to send back to the New Orleans Pelicans, something the franchise desperately needs.”
The Lakers Do Not Want to Strike a Trade for Pelicans Star Brandon Ingram: Insider
Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 35.5% from long range in 64 starts last season. The former All-Star is a familiar face for the Lakers as Ingram spent his first three seasons in Los Angeles.
Ingram was selected by the Lakers with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. Unfortunately, it does not look like this familiarity is prompting the Lakers to want to make a run at the forward.
“Right now, a blockbuster deal, I just don’t see it. I don’t see [the Lakers] having enough for Lauri Markkanen,” The Athletic’s Jovan Buha remarked in a July 16, edition of the “Buha’s Block” podcast. “I’ve not heard of any interest with Brandon Ingram. So, I don’t see them going for those two guys.”
It sounds like things are trending towards Ingram once again playing in a Pelicans uniform next season.
“I’m told the trade market for Brandon Ingram is limited,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania noted during an August 6, interview on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “…New Orleans wants him to stay and he wants to stay as well. …The sense around New Orleans is he’s going to be there and they’re fully expecting him to be part of this Pelicans team.”
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