On ESPN’s NBA Today Marc J. Spears was asked to give a punctuation mark on the New Orleans Pelicans. He raised a sign with question marks. Spears talked about how he was in New Orleans the past week, and he noted that Head Coach Willie Green was in a good mood, Trey Murphy III and C.J. McCollum were in good moods shooting and practicing, and crucially Zion Williamson is healthy. But one thing was missing and that was Brandon Ingram. All summer, we heard Brandon Ingram trade rumors, but nothing materialized. When he was absent from a mini-camp the team held in California, the rumors appeared again. Yet, it seems that Brandon Ingram reportedly has a limited trade market. What will the team do with him?
On paper, the New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most talented teams in the NBA. But as we know, on paper doesn’t win titles. In the NBA, you need fit as much as talent. The Pelicans have one of the most challenging and confusing rosters in the league right now. Let’s dive into some New Orleans Pelicans trade rumors.
Marc J. Spears Questions Brandon Ingram and the Pelicans
What to Do With Brandon Ingram?
The biggest question for the Pelicans is what to do with Brandon Ingram. Ideally, they would love to trade him for a center or another piece that fits the roster better. Yet, the problem with that is the market for the star forward is not as big. This offseason, we saw DeMar DeRozan execute a sign-and-trade to the Sacramento Kings. DeRozan is a cheaper, yet similar version of Ingram. Last season, Ingram averaged 20.8 points per game, while shooting 35.5 percent from behind the arc on less than 3.8 attempts per game. That will not cut in an era where spacing is crucial.
Ingram is a talented player, but he needs the ball in his hands to be effective. He has a slow decision-making speed, and cannot fit properly around other star players. That doesn’t mean he cannot be effective. But he needs a very specific roster construction to succeed. We will probably hear New Orleans Pelicans trade rumors involving Brandon Ingram up to the trade deadline. If they fail to trade him, the two remaining options are to sign him to a max extension or risk losing him in the summer of 2025 for nothing. The challenge for the Pelicans is that Brandon Ingram reportedly has a limited trade market.
How Will Dejounte Murray Fit?
If you look closely, Dejounte Murray is a similar player to Brandon Ingram and DeMar DeRozan. He is a midrange maestro and needs the ball in his hands to be effective. We have seen for the last few seasons how he has failed to work alongside another dominant ball player. The Pelicans saw the Trae Young – Murray pairing not working, and they traded for him.
Now, Murray is a bit better spacer. He shot 36.3 percent from behind the arc on 7.1 attempts per game last season. But he still operates a lot from the mid-range. The Pelicans probably thought they would get rid of Ingram to make room for Murray. Yet, for now, they are stuck with both of them. Neither of them is an ideal fit next to Zion.
Who Will Start at Center?
While the Pelicans have plenty of wings, they have almost zero quality centers. Last year, Jonas Valanciunas was good for 20 to 25 minutes per game at center. He played and started in every game. The Pelicans also had Cody Zeller and Larry Nance Jr. Now, they have Daniel Theis signed to a veteran minimum contract.
Theis is a good player, but he is not a starting center on a playoff-contending team. The team did select Yves Missi with the 21st pick. While he has a ton of upside, he is too young to make an impact. Missi is an athletic freak and can be devastating on the defensive side, but he has years to get there. Some of the options they can get at the trade deadline include Robert Williams III, Walker Kessler, Deandre Ayton, and Jarrett Allen. Or, they can try hunting for a bigger fish, like Karl-Anthony Towns. However, it’s unclear how many of these players will be available for a reasonable price.
What Happens with Trey Murphy III?
Trey Murphy III was the fourth-best scorer on the team last season, averaging 14.8 points per game. He shot 38% from behind the arc on 7.8 attempts per game. Murphy was a first-round pick in the 2021 NBA draft. He is ready for a larger role, and heading into his fourth year. Notably Murphy is eligible for a rookie scale extension. The team thinks highly of Murphy, and they should commit long-term to him however, with Ingram on the roster Murphy’s role is unclear.
Given his versatility and three-point shooting, Murphy is the perfect wing alongside Williamson. If they do not sign him to an extension, he will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2025. With a cap hold of $5 million, he will get a big offer for sure. Will the Pelicans risk it?
Will CJ be a Sixth Man?
There is no saying what the Pelicans starting five will be this season. They could start Murray, C.J. McCollum, and Herb Jones alongside Ingram and Zion. That lineup has a bit more shooting, but, Zion is not used to playing the center position and several players in this lineup are ball-dominant. With so many players needing the ball, the best bet for the team is to move McCollum to a bench role. But will the veteran guard accept such an offer? He signed a two-year extension with the Pelicans in 2022 that will take him through the 2025-26 season.
Can They Make a Trade?
In the NBA, lineups involving players that work well together have better success than lineups merely stacked with pure talent. The ideal outcome is to have both talent and chemistry. The Pelicans have the talent, but their fit is questionable. When their two stars, Ingram and Williamson share the floor, they have subpar performance. The problem is they are great players, but with skills that do not complement each other. You can win with players like Ingram but your margin for error is smaller.
The team has two glaring holes: center and three-point shooting. In a league where you need more three-point shooting, the Pelicans need to try and swing a trade, even for a less talented player but who will be a better fit. With most of their picks in place, plus two picks coming from the Bucks in 2025 and 2027, they have enough assets to make another trade. Buckle up for more New Orleans Pelicans trade rumors.
