One NBA analyst proposed that the New Orleans Pelicans and Sacramento Kings make a trade with each other this offseason.
Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Pelicans and Kings:
The trade: The New Orleans Pelicans trade Brandon Ingram to the Sacramento Kings for Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter, the No. 13 pick, a 2025 second-round pick (via POR) and a 2027 first-round pick (top-five-protected)
Ingram has one year left on his contract and the Pelicans don’t want to pay him a max extension this offseason.
New Orleans is expected to pursue Ingram trades once the NBA Finals end.
“Ingram needs a new contract between now and next offseason, and the Pelicans don’t seem keen on providing it,” Buckley wrote. “Perhaps the Kings feel differently. They could use a momentum boost after slipping from No. 3 to No. 9 in the Western Conference, and their window to contend might be smaller than people think with De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis both firmly in their primes.
“Sacramento sometimes struggled to find a tertiary scorer and table-setter, and that will only get more difficult if Malik Monk exits in free agency. Ingram not only fills those voids, but he maximizes this offense without forcing it to sacrifice size the way a Fox-Monk backcourt does.
“As long as Ingram’s next contract is relatively affordable—it should absolutely reflect the fact he’s played 65-plus games once in eight seasons—the Kings can lock him into their core and hope to contend sooner than later, which feels doable with the right amount of development from Keegan Murray.”
Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks this season for the Pelicans while shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $36 million next season.
According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Kings could make Huerter and Barnes available on the trade market this offseason.
The Pelicans lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, while the Kings missed the postseason.
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