Last year at the NBA Trade Deadline, the Toronto Raptors moved on from Dennis Schroder, Thaddeus Young, and Otto Porter. Additionally, earlier in the season, they traded Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers. A year later, the Raptors could be in line for another notable trade. More specifically, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required), the Raptors may pursue New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram.
“While the Heat have undoubtedly intensified their efforts to bring an end to the contentious Butler saga by finding a deal before the Feb. 6 trade deadline at 3 PM ET, I’m told Toronto has emerged as a team to watch when it comes to Ingram.”
“It remains to be seen whether the Raptors become more than that where Ingram is concerned, but the mere suggestion of potential Raptors interest is the most significant development in weeks when it comes to the New Orleans forward who earned his lone All-Star berth during the 2019-20 season interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.”
For the past year, many have expected the Pelicans to move on from Ingram. The 27-year-old is in the midst of a contract year, and as it stands, there are reasons to believe the Pelicans will not sign him to a new deal in the offseason. However, Ingram remains with the team less than two weeks away from the trade deadline.
NBA Insider Names Toronto Raptors as ‘Team to Watch’ for Brandon Ingram Trade
The Raptors Want to ‘Expand’ Their Core
Toronto currently owns a 14-32 record and is the No. 12 seed in the East. They have missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons and will likely do so again this year. However, the Raptors have an exciting core that should succeed in the future. Most notably, fourth-year wing Scottie Barnes is having another fantastic season at just 23 years old. Per Stein, the Raptors are looking to add players to the team to solidify their core. This is why an established veteran like Ingram could be appealing to them even if they are not a competitive team.
“The Raptors, though, are likewise believed to be actively searching for players to expand on a core that features reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Scottie Barnes as the undeniable centerpiece. As my Sportsnet colleague Michael Grange put it in a story he wrote last week, Toronto is said to be looking for a “significant piece” to pair with Barnes.”
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To this point, there is no clear top suitor for Ingram. However, given his contract situation, trading him to any team with even remote interest could make sense for New Orleans.
This season, the Duke alum has appeared in just 18 games. In those games, he is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists. Furthermore, he is shooting 46.5% from the field and 37.4% from the three-point line. When healthy, Ingram is a very valuable player. He is also still young and fits Toronto’s timeline. At this point, it is unclear how serious the Raptors are about trading for Ingram. Regardless, they are a team to keep an eye on ahead of the trade deadline. If Toronto lands Ingram, they could find themselves back in the playoffs soon.
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