NBA Rumors: 8 Trade targets Lakers could pivot to after missing out on free agents

Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans

At this point in the offseason, there are many who believe Brandon Ingram is going to get traded. It's the old adage of a team not wanting to pay a player the money he believes he's worth. Generally, that leads to a trade. But I'm not so sure the New Orleans Pelicans and Ingram can't find a middle ground over the course of the next few weeks to avoid that from happening. It's something to keep an eye on and if Ingram does end up being traded, the Lakers are a team that could end up showing interest to a certain degree.

Where it gets complicated is the fact Ingram has a history with the Lakers and I'm not sure where that relationship stands at the moment. But even putting that aside, would the Lakers be willing to trade for Ingram with the understanding that they're likely going to have to pay him a max extension right away?

In theory, Ingram could be an excellent fit for the Lakers. He bring an offensive punch that would take a ton of pressure off of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But the financial part of things certainly complicates it all.