Grade the trade pitch: Kings acquire Brandon Ingram to pair with Fox & Sabonis
By Matt John
Is that all it would take to get Ingram?
For the record, Ingram has not been a bust, but he has not exactly become the perennial All-Star he was pegged to be coming out of the draft. Compared to the likes of his 2016 draft counterparts like Sabonis, Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam, and even Ben Simmons, Ingram's only made the All-Star team once.
And unlike the previously mentioned names, he's never made an All-NBA team. However, for a trade like this to happen, New Orleans would basically be saying "We desperately wanted to get rid of him by any means necessary." Even if Ingram isn't a perennial All-Star, he's still good for putting up 20 points or more on any given night.
Ingram has also proven himself to be multifaceted as a player, showing himself to be a solid rebounder (5.6 boards a game for his career) and playmaker (4.7 assists a game for his career). New Orleans may look to trade him, but knowing what he can do, is it going to be as simple as a salary dump?
Ingram's contract is expiring, which is why it may be easier to acquire him now than it would be if there were multiple years left on it. Barnes and Huerter and a first-rounder aren't the worst returns for Ingram on an expiring deal. New Orleans would likely accept this if they can't find much better, but it is debatable whether they can or not.