2 reasons the Kings should and 2 reasons they shouldn't trade for Brandon Ingram

Reason #2 Against Trading For Ingram: It's Going To Cost Them

Next season, Ingram is set to make over 36 million dollars. After that, he is eligible for a four-year, 208-million dollar extension (an extension the Kings will probably have to offer Ingram if they plan on keeping him after 2024-25).

The average annual value of that extension is about 52 million dollars. That's a lot of money to tie to a flawed star player. As we've already established, Ingram is a subpar spacer. On top of that, he's an above average, but not great defender, and he has a tendency to be a bit of a ball-stopper. This last attribute could lead to some redundancy issues when he's paired next to the team's starting point guard, De'Aaron Fox (an individual who also excels when operating on-ball).

Between Ingram, Sabonis, and Fox (and Murray, too, once he signs his rookie extension), the Kings would be tying up a ton of money in a core that we aren't even sure is good enough to compete for a title in a loaded Western Conference. Is that gamble worth it?

Overall, I'm still unsure about how I feel about the Kings trading for Ingram. He's a great player, and adding great players typically tends to make your team better. Plus, I like the two-man game possibilities that his acquisition unlocks for him and Sabonis.

On the other hand, Ingram's spacing deficiencies, desire to play with the ball in his hands, and looming pricey extension have me worrying whether or not he pros outweigh the cons.

But I guess that's the tricky part about trying to project a trade that hasn't even happened yet.