NBA Trade Rumors: Brandon Ingram Heads Back to Lakers in Proposed Blockbuster

The Los Angeles Lakers made a huge splash back in 2019 — one that actually wound up winning them an NBA championship — when they acquired Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans for a monster package of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and three first-round picks.

Now, according to one Eastern Conference GM, the Lakers should look at re-acquiring Ingram, who seems to be on the outs in The Big Easy. The unnamed executive explained it this way to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports:

It’s an idea, if they’re willing to take the chance. Brandon as a third option with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, it certainly makes them better, it gets them back to being a contender, or at least in that orbit.

With one year left on his contract, the Pelicans will be heavily exploring options to trade Ingram this summer, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

“Fit concerns about the games of Ingram, CJ McCollum and star forward Zion Williamson persist in New Orleans despite the Pelicans’ 49-33 record this season. A handful of Eastern Conference teams have already been mentioned as potential trade suitors for Ingram.”

The proposed deal, from Deveney, would look like this:

LA Lakers Receive:

Brandon Ingram

New Orleans Pelicans Receive:

Austin Reaves
Rui Hachimura
Jordan Hood-Schifin
Protected future first-rounder

The big hitch in acquiring Ingram for any team is the money factor. He's eligible for a four-year, $204 million extension, and the Pels are not inclined to pay him. “Anyone who trades for Ingram, you’re not going to have to give up a full star package because he gets hurt a lot and because you’ve got to pay him,” the unnamed GM told Deveney.

Ingram was an All-Star in his first year with the Pelicans, and the NBA's Most Improved Player. He's maintained his high levels of production, but the team, overall, is just 144-143 in all that time with B.I. on the floor.

Ingram was the No. 2 overall pick by the Lakers back in 2016.