Pelicans Hold onto Ingram Amid Financial and Strategic Challenges
The New Orleans Pelicans have firmly established their position regarding Brandon Ingram's future: the talented forward is not leaving the team anytime soon. Despite the lucrative offers and potential trades swirling around the league, the Pelicans are resolute in their commitment to Ingram, who is poised to earn $36 million in the 2024-25 season.
Ingram is currently eligible for a four-year extension valued at up to $208 million, a substantial offer that the Pelicans have chosen not to extend just yet. This decision is likely influenced by the new collective-bargaining agreement, which includes stringent salary cap restrictions. If a team’s payroll exceeds the first apron of $178.1 million, they cannot take back more salary than they send out, and teams exceeding the second apron of $188.9 million are prohibited from aggregating multiple players' salaries in a trade.
Nevertheless, both the Pelicans and Ingram's camp have explored alternative trade scenarios involving a max extension with other teams. However, New Orleans' front office seems committed to keeping Ingram, despite the financial complexities laid out by the collective-bargaining agreement.
Challenges and Adjustments
When Ingram first joined the Pelicans, he was taking 4.2 catch-and-shoot three-pointers per game, connecting at an impressive 42% rate. These attempts have been on a decline each year, a statistic that echoes some of the adjustments both he and the team have had to make. Adding to the challenges, Ingram hyperextended his left knee a few weeks before the end of the last regular season, complicating his contributions during crucial phases of the campaign.
Compounding these struggles, Zion Williamson also suffered a season-ending injury during the play-in tournament, leaving Ingram to take on an even heavier load. New Orleans’ basketball executive David Griffin highlighted the continuous need for adjustments: "Brandon went from not playing to, 'OK, now you have to carry us.' It was a really bad situation for Brandon." Still, both Ingram and the Pelicans have shown a clear preference to stick together. "I think from a relationship standpoint, we've been really clear we'd prefer Brandon stays with us and Brandon's been pretty clear he prefers to stay with us. At the same time, there is a financial reality to this... we’re committed to each other," Griffin stated.
Roster Changes and Strategy
This offseason brought significant roster changes for the Pelicans. They acquired Dejounte Murray in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, a move that also saw the departures of Jonas Valanciunas in free agency and the loss of Larry Nance Jr. in the trade. The team is betting on a combination of Daniel Theis, rookie Yves Missi, and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to strengthen their frontcourt depth.
Griffin emphasized the unique market dynamics the Pelicans face, a factor that plays into their decision-making process. "In some markets, you don't have to make any decisions: You get a max, and you get a max, and you get a max, and you hoard talent. We're not that market," he said. This pointed out the challenging reality for smaller-market teams that cannot simply hoard talent due to financial constraints. "When you don't have to pay them, you want all of them. And then when you actually have to hand them $50 million a year, mechanically, it gets complicated," Griffin added.
New Orleans is therefore making strategic choices about their roster and style of play. "So we gotta make choices, right?... we’re going to have to do this in a really unique way. And I think we’re pretty committed to playing small," Griffin noted. This nuanced approach shows the team’s awareness of their limitations and strengths. "I understand that everybody looks at the situation and goes, 'They’re missing this, they’re missing that,' but we also have a lot of strengths that we want to lean into," Griffin said, underscoring a strategy that emphasizes versatility and adaptability over sheer star power.
While the uncertainties of the market and injuries loom large, the New Orleans Pelicans and Brandon Ingram seem poised to navigate these challenges together. Balancing financial realities with strategic decisions, this steadfast commitment highlights the intricate dynamics between player loyalty and team strategy in the modern NBA landscape.