The Anthony Davis saga came to an end when the New Orleans Pelicans agreed to trade “The Brow” to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three future first-round picks. However, despite losing the face of the franchise, the Pelicans refused to trade veteran point guard Jrue Holiday and undergo a full-scale rebuild. With the core of Holiday, Ingram, Ball, Hart, and Zion Williamson, the Pelicans undeniably have one of the most promising rosters in the league.
However, if they want to have a chance of making a huge impact in the deep Western Conference in the 2019-20 NBA season, the Pelicans should still consider upgrading their roster this summer. According to Brad Botkin of CBS Sports , the Pelicans could trade Brandon Ingram and future draft picks for a second “All-Star-type player.”
“The New Orleans Pelicans think they’re going to be a good team right away, and they’re not wrong. This is a good roster. It’s also a highly flexible situation with a lot of players and assets many teams would be interested in. I can see New Orleans, which has a lot of wing depth, entertaining a deal centered on Ingram and future draft picks for a second All-Star-type player to put next to Holiday.”
The Lakers entering next season vs. last season ?
What a difference a year makes. pic.twitter.com/fuuZWcVbr5
— ESPN (@espn) July 14, 2019
A trade package including former No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram and future draft picks will definitely catch the attention of teams who have superstars on their roster but don’t have the capability to contend for the NBA championship title. As Botkin noted, one of the potential trade targets for the Pelicans is Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards.
In the crazy 2019 NBA offseason, Bradley Beal is among the NBA superstars who are expected to play for a different team in the 2019-20 NBA season. Beal may not have demanded a trade nor the Wizards show any interest in moving the All-Star shooting guard, but without a clear path to title contention, they are better off heading in separate directions, especially if they also manage to find a way to unload John Wall’s massive contract.
The deal that would send Bradley Beal to New Orleans for Brandon Ingram and future draft picks will be beneficial for the Pelicans and the Wizards. The Pelicans would finally acquire their second All-Star caliber player that could boost their chance of earning a playoff spot in the deep Western Conference next season. Meanwhile, the Wizards would have a young and promising player that could be the centerpiece of the title-contending team that they will try to build in the post-John Wall era. Being on a team where he could be the main man could speed up Ingram’s development into a legitimate NBA superstar in the NBA.