Pelicans' Griffin: Brandon Ingram 'Wants to Stay Here' amid Trade, Contract Rumors

Pelicans EVP of basketball operations David Griffin says Brandon Ingram "wants to stay" in New Orleans, but that the team must consider "financial reality" regarding his potential extension.

"Brandon wants to stay here," Griffin said, per NOLA.com's Christian Clark. "He believes in what we are building. That's meaningful to him. That's meaningful to his agent. At the same time, there is a financial reality that we all deal with.

"I think we're excited about Brandon. We know he's excited about us. Usually, those things yield good results one way or the other."

Ingram has one $36 million season remaining on his current contract. He is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $52 million per year this offseason.

The Athletic's William Guillory reported Monday that the Pelicans are "unlikely" to offer Ingram the maximum extension.

That's in part due to the Pelicans' "current and future financial situation," Guillory noted. New Orleans is currently at risk of hitting the NBA's luxury tax threshold for the first time in franchise history next season, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Cap concerns may be part of the reason that NBA insider Marc Stein reported earlier this week that Ingram is "more likely" to be traded ahead of the draft and free agency.

Ingram, who is heading into his age-27 season, has been limited by a series of injuries throughout his five-season stretch in New Orleans.

Last season was no exception, as a knee injury that sidelined Ingram for the final month of the season appeared to continue impacting him during the playoffs. Ingram was held to 14.3 points through four games as New Orleans was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Faced with the choice between becoming a luxury tax team and paying more than $50 million per season for a player who has historically struggled with injuries, or receiving a haul in exchange for trading him to a win-now team, it seemed likely that the Pelicans were considering testing the market for Ingram.

Griffin's comments raise the possibility the Pelicans and their star player will stay together, at least for now, as New Orleans looks to build on its 49-win regular season this fall.