The Toronto Raptors landed Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Pelicans received Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick and a second-round pick from the Raptors, a person with details of the trade told USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly until the trade is official.
Ingram has been mentioned as a trade candidate since the start of the season when Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin addressed Ingram’s free agency after the season and said the team faces “economic realities.”
Those economic realities meant they likely were unable to retain Ingram at the salary he sought.
Grading the Pelicans-Raptors trade:
Toronto Raptors grade: A
Don’t let Toronto’s 16-35 record blur what the Raptors can become with Ingram, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, Jakob Poeltl and Ochai Agbaji.
This season in just 18 games due to injury, Ingram averages 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and shoots 46.5% from the field, 37.4% on 3-pointers and 85.5% on free throws. Ingram has been out since Dec. 8 with a sprained left ankle.
When he returns, he provides the Raptors with offense and should have better playmaking opportunities in Toronto’s rotation.
The Raptors have significant money invested in Barnes, Barrett and Quickley and will need to pay Ingram, too, so that’s worth watching in their roster building.
New Orleans Pelicans grade: B
New Orleans’ season has been upended by injuries, and it had financial decisions to make. The Pelicans already made a move ahead of the trade deadline to get out of the luxury tax when they traded Daniel Theis Wednesday.
Brown has an expiring contract, and Olynyk, who has a manageable salary, is a free agent after the 2025-26 season. A first-round pick helps, too, both in terms of drafting a potential star and navigating the salary cap.
It’s too bad the Pelicans never had a chance to see what a healthy roster with Ingram, Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray looks like.
