NBA Rumors: Phoenix Suns Would Be ‘Intriguing’ Destination For Brandon Ingram In 2020 Free Agency
Since being drafted as the No. 13 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker has managed to turn himself into an All-Star-caliber player in the league. Unfortunately, despite Booker’s explosive performance almost every night, the Suns are still unable to end their playoff drought. So far, the Suns own the third-worst record in the Western Conference and are expected to suffer another huge disappointment in the 2019-20 NBA season.
If the Suns want to become a relevant team in the deep Western Conference, they should strongly consider surrounding Booker with more star power in the 2020 offseason. According to Fadeaway World, one of the players that the Suns could target this summer is Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans.
“The Phoenix Suns would be an intriguing team in the Brandon Ingram market. They would need to shed some cap holds, and possibly trade a few pieces, to truly be players in the Ingram bidding war. However, as far as team fit, Ingram may be what the Suns need to finally turn things around. The Suns currently have Kelly Oubre starting at SF for them, with Dario Saric (restricted FA this summer/cap hold) at PF. Letting go of Saric and bringing in Ingram would add some versatility/fire-power to their starting lineup.”
Ingram would be an incredible addition to the Suns, giving them an All-Star-caliber player who perfectly fits the timeline of Booker. The potential acquisition of Ingram would tremendously boost the Suns’ performance on both ends of the floor. Aside from being a very reliable offensive option, Ingram is also an incredible defender, playmaker, and floor-spacer.
This season where he was named an All-Star for the first time in his NBA career, the 22-year-old small forward is averaging 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.0 steal while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from beyond the arc. The potential arrival of Ingram won’t make the Suns the instant favorite to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy, but if he, Booker, and Deandre Ayton grow together and build good chemistry, a formidable “Big Three” could soon rise in Phoenix.
However, the Suns’ chances of acquiring Ingram depend on the Pelicans’ plans in the summer of 2020. Though Ingram is set to become a free agent after this season, the only thing that the Pelicans need to do if they want to bring him back is to match the offers of other NBA teams. Though the season is far from over, there is already speculation that the Pelicans are willing to throw away a huge amount of money just to keep Ingram long-term in New Orleans.
