Kofi Inkoom
As Pelicans star Brandon Ingram is set to enter free agency this summer, speculation has arisen regarding his potential destination. Could the Detroit Pistons secure his services this offseason? A couple of insiders think so.
ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks and Evan Sidery of Forbes believe the Pistons could be a potential landing spot for New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram this summer.
Ingram, one of the NBA’s top wings, is coming off another productive year with the Pelicans. However, his future with the team is uncertain, as there have been rumors that the Pelicans are unlikely to extend his contract, and he is set to hit free agency this summer.
The Pistons recently hired Trajan Langdon as their next President of Basketball Operations. Following this news, Evan Sidery of Forbes noted that the Pistons could be eyeing Ingram.
Sidery wrote, “With the Pistons’ hire of Trajan Langdon as President of Basketball Operations, Brandon Ingram is a potential trade target to closely monitor. Not only can Detroit offer Ingram a max-level extension with their cap space, but he also shares the same agent as Cade Cunningham, Jeff Schwartz. Detroit could build an appealing offer potentially around their No. 5 overall pick and some of their young core pieces. Something to keep tabs on over the next few months as Ingram’s future with the Pelicans is uncertain.”
Additionally, ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks recently said Ingram has emerged as a potential target for the Pistons. Marks, as reported by Kory Woods of Mlive, believes Detroit has a realistic chance of acquiring him.
“Listen, there’s going to be a group of those guys who are extension eligible that are going in the last year of their contract that teams have to make a decision on, and Ingram, certainly Ingram is the focal point,” Marks said. “So if you’re Detroit and that’s the guy you want, and now we’re talking about you’re trading for him with the incentive to re-sign him, you’re basically going to give him whatever he wants, whether it be a max extension or a max contract in the following offseason.”
The Pistons have struggled in recent seasons, finishing this year as the 15th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 14-68 record. Ingram ended the regular season with averages of 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game.
Heading into free agency, the Pistons will have approximately $60 million in cap space. They must spend 90% of this cap space, or they’ll face a penalty, meaning they need to use roughly $50 to $54 million this summer to acquire talent through trades or free agency.