Cole Burston / Getty Images
Brandon Ingram hasn’t played in nearly two months after suffering a high-grade, low left ankle sprain on Dec. 7. His extended injury absence, along with a bevy of injuries to other key contributors on the team, has led to the Pelicans having a stunningly bad (12-39) record.
Ingram came into the season hoping his play on the court would help him earn the lucrative contract he’s been seeking since last summer — with New Orleans or another team. But his team’s struggles and his inability to stay healthy left him with few options.
Ingram has been eligible to sign a four-year, $207.8 million max extension since last July, but the Pelicans have been hesitant to hand him such a massive deal after already handing out big contracts to Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy in recent years. Knowing the financial implications it could have on a small-market team that has never paid the luxury tax in its 23-year existence, the Pelicans decided to draw the line with Ingram.
After failing to reach terms on a new deal, it was clear that Ingram’s time with the Pelicans was coming to an end. He was set to enter unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025.
Read more on why the Pelicans traded Ingram to Toronto here.
Pelicans trading Brandon Ingram to Raptors for Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown: Source
