NBA Trade Rumors: Pelicans' Brandon Ingram Wants 'Winning, Competitive Environment'

As trade rumors continue to circle around New Orleans Pelicans star forward Brandon Ingram given his lack of an extension—and have since the summer—more insight into what he's looking for in a new team, should he be dealt, have emerged.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday that Ingram "wants to be part of a winning, competitive environment" and noted that the Pelicans are either going to trade him or the two sides will agree on an extension.

A trade feels more likely. Over the weekend, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that the two sides are "at a stalemate" and "can't agree on a contract extension," with Ingram set to hit unrestricted free agency this upcoming summer.

But trade discussions have proven to be complicated, too.

As Windhorst wrote: "Trade talks since last summer have failed to align. Finding a place where New Orleans can send Ingram's $36 million salary and get value while also reducing salary—the Pelicans are currently in the luxury tax for the first time ever and not likely to stay there—is hard enough. But finding a deal with a team Ingram will be comfortable signing a new contract with has also stalled talks, per sources."

The Pelicans have little incentive to let the season play out and hope Ingram returns as a free agent. The team is just 4-18 this season and, barring a miraculous and unforeseen turnaround, isn't going to come close to either a playoff or Play-In Tournament berth this season in the loaded Western Conference.

And it's not exactly the "winning, competitive environment" Ingram reportedly wants.

Keeping him without an extension would be an easier risk to take if the Pelicans were title contenders and going for broke this season. But that almost assuredly isn't happening, and it's hard to see them paying him top-of-the-market money to retain him.

The Pelicans are already paying Zion Williamson $39.9 million next season, C.J. McCollum $36.6 million—at 33, McCollum would probably be even more difficult to trade than Ingram, though the Pels could look to move him off the books this summer as an expiring contract, though they might have to give up draft capital to do so—and Dejounte Murray $31.5 million.

So for now, the Pelicans and Ingram are in a bit of a holding pattern. But a trade still feels like the most likely scenario, tricky as it might be.