NBA Rumors: Brandon Ingram Unlikely to Get $208M Pelicans Contract Amid Trade Buzz

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is in line for a major payday this summer, but it sounds like he won't be cashing in anytime soon.

Ingram is eligible for a max extension worth $208 million over four years. However, The Athletic's William Guillory reported on Monday that "considering their current and future financial situation, the Pelicans are unlikely to offer him that maximum deal this offseason."

Ingram is coming off a disappointing showing in the first round of the playoffs where the Pelicans were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in four games. He averaged 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting just 34.5 percent from the field and 25.0 percent from three-point range. He was clearly struggling to find a rhythm after returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss a month of action before the playoffs.

Ingram appeared in 64 games this season, his most since his rookie year with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016-17. However, his average of 20.8 points per game was his lowest since the 2018-19 campaign. The 2024-25 season is the final year of his current contract, and he will be making $36 million.

Guillory noted that the Pelicans are facing a pivotal offseason after going 49-33 this year, their first time winning over 45 games since 2017-18. General manager David Griffin declared after the team's loss to Oklahoma City that "this is not going to be a summer of complacency" in New Orleans.

If the Pelicans aren't interested in giving Ingram an extension, he would be an intriguing trade candidate who would generate interest from multiple teams around the league. Guillory stated that "removing Ingram from the locker room would represent a massive shake-up for a young team still working to find itself," but perhaps New Orleans would be better off recouping assets for him rather than risking him walking away in free agency next summer.