Many feel the New Orleans Pelicans have one of the most promising young rosters in the NBA and that they could even be a dark-horse contender if they stay healthy.
Their team is built around the talents of Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram, all of whom averaged over 20 points a game last season.
However, there are some uncertainties, which include Williamson’s perpetual injury problems and Ingram’s impending free agency.
The 6-foot-8 forward’s current contract runs out in 2025, yet per Christian Clark via NBACentral, Ingram will wait until next summer to negotiate an extension with New Orleans.
Brandon Ingram is not expected to sign an extension with the Pelicans this summer, per @cclark_13
“Multiple sources told The Times-Picayune that Ingram will wait until next summer before engaging in extension talks with the franchise that acquired him in the Anthony Davis trade… pic.twitter.com/uZxFZjtbMP
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 13, 2023
Ingram, the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, spent his first three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, and in his third season there, he started to truly display his potential by averaging 18.3 points a game on 49.7 percent field-goal shooting.
This past season, he put up a career-high 24.7 points per contest while also hitting 39.0 percent of his 3-point attempts, and he even expended his game by dishing off 5.8 assists a game, which was another career best.
At a mere 26 years of age (he only turned 26 on September 2), he could be an excellent franchise cornerstone should he decide to turn down an extension and test the free agency market.
Already, the 2025 free-agent market has the potential to be a big one, as it could include difference-makers such as Ingram, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and LeBron James.
If the Pelicans want to win their first NBA championship, they will need to lock up Ingram while showing him they’re serious about winning by improving the supporting cast around him, McCollum, and Williamson.
NEXT: Drew Brees Notes What Pelicans Need To Reach Their Potential
