2. Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans
It was somewhat surprising to see Brandon Ingram begin the year on the New Orleans Pelicans roster even after all the trade whispers that took place during the offseason. The fact that Ingram and the Pelicans weren't able to come to an agreement on a contract extension was also somewhat concerning for the future of this marriage. Right now, all of that is on ice. It's become even more complicated after the Pelicans' rough start to the season. In large part because of injuries, it's impossible to predict what may lie ahead for the Pelicans.
One thing is clear, if the Pelicans aren't able to turn their season around over the next couple of months before the NBA Trade Deadline, there have to be some changes made. And if that's a path the Pelicans are willing to go down, the first big decision that will have to be made revolves around Ingram. In the final year of his contract, it's hard for the Pelicans to move one way or another without figuring out what Ingram's future is going to be with the team. And if the two sides are still far apart in contract extension talks, a trade has to be the most sensible outcome.
Odds of a Brandon Ingram trade: 44%
If the Pelicans don't want to lose Ingram for nothing during the offseason, moving him ahead of the trade deadline is a must. How feasible that actually will be remains to be seen. But at this point, it may be the best possible path forward for the Pelicans. I can't help but wonder how Ingram changing agents could alter that but it is something to keep in mind as we inch closer to the trade deadline season. If I had to predict a big move from the Pelicans, it would almost certainly involve Ingram one way or another.
At this point, assuming there hasn't been much progress on extension talks, there's a 44 percent shot that Ingram is traded before the deadline. It feels more and more like the Pelicans are in the midst of a lost season and trading Ingram appears to be the right move. The real difficulty that the Pelicans could run into is whether the right market will emerge for Ingram. At the end of the day, I'd imagine that Ingram's trade market will depend on whether the Pelicans pull the trigger or not.