Report: Raptors acquiring Brandon Ingram from Pelicans

The Toronto Raptors have made a big move on the eve of the NBA’s trade deadline

The New Orleans Pelicans are trading forward Brandon Ingram to the Raptors in exchange for Bruce Brown Jr, Kelly Olynyk, a 2026 first-round pick and a 2031 second-round pick, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The 2026 first-round pick is reportedly a top-four protected pick from Indiana that the Raptors acquired in a blockbuster deal for all-star forward Pascal Siakam last year.

Ingram was originally drafted second overall by the Lakers in 2016 but was dealt after three seasons in the deal that landed Anthony Davis in Los Angeles. The now 27-year-old blossomed in New Orleans, winning Most Improved Player in his first year with the Pelicans (2019-20) while also earning his first All-Star nod.

The former Duke product has been a consistent 20-plus point-per-game scorer through his six years in New Orleans and can comfortably space the floor with a career three-point shooting mark of 36.3 per cent.

Ingram’s biggest concern throughout his near-decade-long career has been staying healthy enough to be on the floor. After playing 79 games as a rookie, he’s failed to suit up for more than 64 games in a season and hasn’t reached at least 60 in two of the last three years.

He’s on pace to fall short of that number yet again as he’s battled multiple injuries throughout the 2024-25 campaign — notably, missing 26 consecutive games with an ankle injury. In the 18 games he has played, Ingram is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 37.4 per cent from deep.

Ingram has not played since Dec. 7 with a sprained left ankle.

The six-foot-eight forward now gets set to join the third team of his career in the midst of a contract year. Ingram is in the final season of a five-year, $158 million deal. He’s owed $36 million in 2024-25 before he hits unrestricted free agency in the summer.

Toronto acquired Brown on Jan. 17, 2024 as part of the deal with Indiana for Siakam. He’s averaged 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists this season after missing time following off-season arthroscopic knee surgery.

Olynyk grew up in Toronto before moving to Kamloops as a teenager and was traded to his boyhood team by the Utah Jazz on Feb. 8, 2024 ahead of last season’s trade deadline. He signed a two-year extension with the Raptors on March 4 worth a reported US$26.25 million.

He also started the 2024-25 campaign injured with back issues, but has averaged seven points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists so far this season.

The Raptors have the fifth-worst record in the NBA after a 138-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier Wednesday night.

Toronto has a 42.1 per cent chance of getting a top four pick in the NBA draft lottery and a 10.5 per cent chance of selecting first overall.

Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg is the consensus top pick in this summer’s draft.

— with files from CP.