Wouldn't they be better off with Christian Wood and another player making around 15 million a year than just Brandon Ingram?
if not Ingram, then they’ll just be overpaying average-below average role players to go there because no one willingly goes to the Pelicans unless it’s an overpay, and no star is going there period this is the same Pelicans organization that signed Solomon Hill to a 4/52 deal coming off averaging 4 ppg with the Pacers 35 yo JJ Reddick went there because they gave him a 2/27 deal that is the alternative for an irrelevant, small market team to not re-signing Brandon Ingram, a 23 yo who just made the All-Star team last year
The Pelicans need to trade for Malcolm Brogdan because he is a perfect fit for what the Pelicans have inside. He also is a good fit for Ball (who I think they lose as a free agent).
Your question is based on the assumption that all markets/teams exist in a vacuum. Ingram isn't the answer to all of their problems but he's by far the least of the Pelicans' worries. They have ill-fitting parts right now in Bledsoe and Adams and parts that probably have reached their peak in Ball and Hart. If they do trade Ball they better hope the return will net them a strong perimeter shooter or a very good 3&D forward. Otherwise trading your best perimeter defender while trying to make the playoffs in the West is a bit shortsighted, even if Ball is going to be a RFA after the season is over.
That is exactly the PG they need--someone that knows how to run an offense but can also score when needed.
BI is the kind of guy you don't want unless he is like a 3rd star. He is a max player who can't carry a team.
This. I'll just say this, hypothetically if Ingram was a free agent right now there would be a dozen or more teams that would find a way to pay him the max if he said he wanted to play for that team. He has flaws, and he isn't a franchise player like LeBron or Harden; but he is 23 years old and can get you 25 a night on solid efficiency and he doesn't get picked on too much defensively. He is also in a tough spot with Zion and Adams next to him and no one that can create or shoot a high volume on the outside. He isn't a franchise player, but he is someone that can carry a large scoring burden and his game would really open up with the right guard on the roster.
Damn, you painted a crap picture for that franchise. Damned if they do, damned if they don't. I still would be fired for offering him something like 75% of the max. The team would lose forever with him eating the full max in salary cap, anyway.
Van Gundy is terrible.. Bledsoe can't shoot nor finish... Adams is under utilized... Ingram needs to be a scorer only not a facilitator... Lonzo needs to be assertive and drive more instead of only pushing it in transition... They don't even try on defense whatsoever
Ingram can average 30 if he just focuses on scoring and defense, which would lead to easy transition buckets... They have him initiating offense for others way too much... He's a walking bucket... I get he can do other things but no nedd if Lonzo becomes assertive in initiating the half court offense ... Lonzo only is ball dominant in transition ... That needs to change
Those close games are close after they've blown double digit leads... That's on coaching and leadership... They need a veteran PG behind Lonzo badly... Bledsoe would fit perfectly but they have him starting ... He can get you that same production playing 20+ minutes, behind Lonzo, instead of 30+ playing alongside him...
Ingram isnt a max player...he is just getting paid his max salary but he isnt getting paid the actual max. He is only making 31M while guys like Harden make 41M. I think Ingram and Ball are far from the problem it is their GM, Bledsoe, Adams, SVG and to a certain extent Zion Williamson. I think having no summer off really hit some players bad and Bledsoe is one of those guys. He just dropped off for no reason. Adams should never have been brought in he is a traditional center you dont play him with Zion and even Ingram does his best work driving to the lane. Speaking of Zion dude was known in Duke to be the superstar with role player mentality he used his extreme athleticism and high bball IQ to defend players 1-5 on top of scrounging for buckets and the ball. However ever since he came to the NBA the defense left him and he turned into a poor man's version of Julius Randle. Maybe just like Randle he needs to mature and improve his mentality first cuz the talent is there as seen last year. I can understand the logic of hiring SVG to teach and mentor the young guys. I'm not sure how much he is at fault given how badly Bledsoe has been playing but I guess the old coach made it work and they flopping now so he must be doing something wrong. What I will say though is David Griffin quickly following the Atlanta Hawks GM into making mistake after mistake after a promising start. We can see here the difficulty of rebuilding a team, just getting high picks is the start. IMO its not a big deal in fact it is great for Pelicans to suck cuz they need more talent. Lonzo, Zion and Ingram clearly not enough they need a couple more pieces. What is concerning is how cheap NO owner is. People bag on Fertita but the dude signed off on signing Cp3 to the full max and bringing in WB who makes the same amount but on a longer deal. NO owner first didnt want to extend Ingram (backfired cuz they had to pay him the max afterwards) and THEN cheaped out on Lonzo as well (looks like its gonna backfire as well cuz Lonzo balled outa his mind recently).
Max players dont grow on trees. If you let him go you will spend your capspace on guys like Davis Bertans. Would you rather pay Davis Bertans 25M or pay Ingram 31M? The answer is obvious. True Max players never really leave their team unless they wanna walk away and even then they signing with the team of their choice and thats not New Orleans.
Their roster is actually pretty bad. They're a young team with useless vets. Bledsoe - Washed/Doesn't care. Like, he's really bad. Redick - Washed/Doesn't care Adams - Solid, skillset doesn't mesh with the starters. That's it. After that, Ingram and Hernangomez are the next guys with the most experience (4 years). Ingram, while a great player with all around talent, doesn't seem like a guy that can drag a team into the playoffs. There's only like 3-5 guys in the league that can do that. I think going young only works if you have the right vets to support, teach, and lead when needed. Devin Booker, a similarly gifted, young star, was losing every season until CP3 came along.
the tanking got in their DNA and its a perfect year to tank to surround zion and other top 4 picks they have with more talent
Pels seemed to be one of those franchises that got its new name and just ended up being in perpetual mediocrity, no real perspective.
Pretty much this, but the name Pelican will forever be legendary thanks to T. Montana giving the bird props in that tub scene (Scarface film)........ 'look at the pelicans fly, c'mon pelicans'
