The upcoming NBA offseason will be just as entertaining as the NBA trade deadline was this year. Two teams who could be interested in making a trade together could be the New York Knicks and the New Orleans Pelicans and Brandon Ingram would be a name that could be intriguing in trade discussions between them.
The Knicks put together a season that could see them make a deep playoff run if they continue to play well. The Pelicans, on the flip side, continue to disappoint their supporters by not finishing games when they matter most.
A trade between these two teams could catch a lot of people off guard, but we’ve seen many great trades go down in the league’s history between a great team and a sub-par squad. A deal between these two teams could help each side build for the future, while also investing in their current roster as well.
The Pelicans and Knicks could embark on a trade that could see some great talent being sent out to both squads, and it could make a lot of sense. Both the Knicks and Pelicans want to set themselves up better for long-term success and a trade between these teams could allow them to accomplish that task.
Let’s dive into what a deal between these two squads could look like surrounding Ingram.
The Hypothetical Trade
New York Receives: Brandon Ingram
New Orleans Receives: Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox, 2021 1st Round Pick, 2021 1st Round Pick (via DAL), 2023 1st Round Pick, 2025 1st Round Pick
This is a great trade between these two contending rosters because it fills a major void on each team. The New York Knicks would thrive with the addition of another All-Star talent at the forward position to play alongside Julius Randle, while the Pelicans would benefit from some young depth and a plethora of draft capital.
Ingram’s contract isn’t set to expire until the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, but that shouldn’t prevent the Pelicans from trying to deal him. The Pelicans could get a great haul of talent in return for Ingram, and the Knicks could be the team that gives them that value.
This trade gives both sides exactly what they’re looking for in terms of talent, and it’s a very fair deal between two competitive rosters. Let’s take a look at how this trade directly impacts each team directly.
Why This Is A Good Trade For New York
This is a good trade for the Knicks because they are able to land a complimentary weapon for Julius Randle to build an exciting core. The Knicks have been one of the biggest surprise contenders out of the Eastern Conference this season and they could get even richer with the addition of another All Star talent.
New York loves the combination of talent they have in RJ Barrett and Randle, and making a move like this would allow them to go all in on contending for a title while their core is intact. The Knicks need a wing presence who can shoot the ball on a consistent level, and Brandon Ingram could fill that role. Adding Ingram would allow Barrett to focus more on the shooting role he was drafted to play and he could thrive having a pair of All Star forwards to dish the ball to.
Ingram, this season, averaged 23.8 points per game, 4.9 total rebounds per game, and 4.9 assists per game for the Pelicans while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc. If the Knicks are able to land Ingram, they could be a serious contender in the Eastern Conference for years to come and prove to be an attractive landing spot for impending free agents.
Giving up the talent they would have to part with in this trade would be well worth it.
Why This Is A Good Trade For New Orleans
This is a good trade for the New Orleans Pelicans because they are able to land some solid depth to their roster while also acquiring some great draft picks to invest in their future. The Pelicans aren’t winning now with Brandon Ingram and weapons surrounding him, so dealing him away for some assets could make a lot of sense.
Ingram molded himself into an All Star talent in New Orleans, but their lack of success will grind the gears of Ingram and eventually lead to his departure from the organization. While Ingram has been good, the lack of wins and playoff contention could set the Pelicans up better if they decided to hand pick some talent from the NBA Draft and rebuild their roster in some areas.
The additions of Kevin Knox, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley would give the Pelicans some promising young potential to develop and the draft capital adds some icing to the cake. This could be a trade that truly pays off in the long haul for New Orleans.
Zion Williamson isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, and adding as much talent as possible around him would be the right move to make. This trade makes a ton of sense for the Pelicans.
