Lakers Set To Sanction A THREE-TEAM NBA Proposed Mega Trade, Set To Sends Lakers A $187 Million Star For D-Lo…
There’s still an opportunity for the Los Angeles Lakers to make a major move this offseason, likely through the NBA trade market. Greg Swartz from Bleacher Report has suggested a bold three-team trade scenario that would see the Lakers reuniting with former forward Brandon Ingram.
This proposed trade involves the Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, and Portland Trail Blazers. To acquire Ingram, the Lakers would send D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Christian Wood, and two second-round picks from 2025 (one of which is from the Clippers).
In return, the Pelicans would gain Anfernee Simons, Robert Williams III, and Christian Wood from the Blazers, while moving on from Ingram and Jordan Hawkins.
Portland ultimately acquires Hachimura, Hawkins, Russell, and two second-round picks in 2025 from Los Angeles.
Now, let’s examine if this trade is beneficial for the Lakers, Blazers, and Pelicans.
Lakers Trade Target Brandon Ingram Is on a $187 Million Contract.
The Lakers need to decide if they want to offer Ingram a new, expensive long-term contract. Ingram is entering the last year of his five-year, $158.2 million deal, and he is set to have a $36 million cap hit for the 2024-25 season.
In his August 15, 2024 article titled “A 3-Team Trade to Send Brandon Ingram Back to Lakers, Land Pelicans a Starting Center,” Swartz noted that the Los Angeles Lakers have been an obvious potential destination for Ingram. The Lakers are the team where he began his career after being drafted as the No. 2 overall pick in 2016 from Duke.
Swartz also mentioned that a new Big Three consisting of Ingram, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis could work well together. However, the Lakers currently lack a center to trade to the New Orleans Pelicans, who are in need of one.
According To An Insider, The Lakers Do Not Want to Strike a Trade for Pelicans Star Brandon Ingram.
Ingram averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game last season, with a 35.5% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc in 64 games as a starter. The ex-All-Star is well-known to the Lakers, having played his first three seasons in Los Angeles.
Ingram was chosen by the Lakers with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. However, it seems that this prior connection isn’t motivating the Lakers to pursue the forward at this time.
Jovan Buha from The Athletic stated on the July 16 edition of the “Buha’s Block” podcast, “At the moment, I don’t foresee a blockbuster trade happening. I don’t think the Lakers have the assets for Lauri Markkanen. I haven’t heard of any interest in Brandon Ingram either, so I don’t expect them to target either of those players.”
It appears that Ingram is likely to remain with the Pelicans for the upcoming season.
Shams Charania from The Athletic mentioned in an August 6 interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” “The trade market for Brandon Ingram is reportedly quite restricted. New Orleans wants him to stay, and he also wants to remain there. The prevailing expectation in New Orleans is that he will stay and be a key part of the Pelicans’ roster.”
