ESPN proposes three-team trade with Cavs, Pacers, Pelicans involving Brandon Ingram
The New Orleans Pelicans roster needs a shakeup. After back-to-back disappointing conclusions to regular seasons the last two years, the franchise was delivered a warning shot of sorts by the report of Zion Williamson’s unhappiness.
The likelihood of the pieces around Williamson changing this offseason, then, appears likely, though the degree to which the pieces are rotated remains to be seen. While shipping away ancillary pieces attached with draft picks to bring in impact players has been discussed, changing the entirety of the core around Williamson could be another move.
In a recent article, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps predicted a franchise-altering three-team trade. In a piece about six big projected trades this offseason, Bontemps included the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers in a deal. The Pelicans would land Myles Turner, Larry Nance Jr., Collin Sexton and Kevin Love while Indiana would net the No. 10 pick and Steven Adams and Cleveland would get Brandon Ingram and Eric Bledsoe.
Financially, the deal would work but would see the Pelicans add just over one million dollars in salary. However, it would drastically change how the team looks and would put Williamson front and center. Here’s what Bontemps noted about the Cleveland portion of the deal:
“The cost of the 10th pick would be painful — but would be mitigated, in part, by the other part of this deal. The Pelicans would get Nance, a versatile forward who would allow them to either play big or small in the frontcourt, depending on if he’s at small or power forward; Sexton, whom they could plug into the sixth man role he seems perfectly suited for; and Love, who would give them another stretch option, and who could give New Orleans another offensive option off the bench. Moving on from Bledsoe is also a win for the Pelicans, who would still have some money to spend to further improve the team.”
Turner, Love and Nance are intriguing pieces in a vacuum to put next to Williamson for different reasons, but acquiring all three would be redundant. Only one of those players could play next to Williamson, crowding the front court.
While Ingram and Williamson haven’t clicked yet in New Orleans, Ingram is still a 23-year-old former All-Star with multiple years under contract still. While a package of Sexton, Love and Nance is nice, it creates new issues for the Pelicans.
In reality, there’s little chance the Pelicans trade Ingram, and if they do, it would almost certainly be to land a bona fide superstar such as Damian Lillard, not for multiple pieces.
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