NBA execs see Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram as likely Warriors trade target – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

It’s no secret that the Warriors need to make a splash this offseason, but who could they target?

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is on the radar of some in the NBA, according to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports (h/t Inside the Warriors).

“For what (the Warriors) are going to be looking for, (Ingram) is the type of guy that they’ll be in the market for because he’s a player that can score but is a little damaged and maybe the price is lower than it should be,” an anonymous Western Conference official told Deveney. “But you know, you keep him healthy, you’re careful with him and he can help you. 26 years old) and that’s absolutely what they want.

“He’s a wild card. But we saw it, he played 30 minutes against Washington and scored 40 points. He did it twice. When he’s right, he’s a devastating scorer.

That’s exactly what Golden State needs alongside star point guard Steph Curry, who hasn’t received much support in the scoring department during the 2023-24 NBA season.

Ingram averaged 20.8 points on 49.2% shooting last regular season with New Orleans, along with 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 32.9 minutes per game . The NBA’s Most Improved Player of 2020, however, has struggled to stay healthy, appearing in 225 of the Pelicans’ final 318 games and seeing his numbers drop from a career-high 24.7 points per game last year. last season.

But at 6-foot-8 with plenty of versatility, Ingram could slide right into Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s system as an added threat, with Klay Thompson’s future in the Bay uncertain and Andrew Wiggins coming off another down year.

“You can play him at the 4, he can shift a lot, he can play the 3 or the 2,” an anonymous Eastern Conference general manager told Deveney about Ingram. “He’s also become a very good playmaker. That’s the kind of versatility Steve likes to have.” You might question his toughness, but put him next to Draymond Green and that will change.

“New Orleans isn’t sure they want to pay him. So there are a lot of teams that have their eye on him. There’s probably 10 to 12 teams that have their eyes on him in case he’s available, guarding him, as you want to say.

Could the Warriors be one of those teams? Deveney proposed a trade package between Chris Paul, Moses Moody and a future first-round pick for Ingram, or a deal centered around Wiggins and Moody.

Ingram is under contract through the 2024-25 season for $36 million – the final campaign of a five-year contract extension he signed in 2020. Although the 26-year-old is due for a lucrative extension , this could definitely be a gamble. the Warriors are ready to take.

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