The New Orleans Pelicans have had a fairly successful offseason, acquiring the likes of Dejounte Murray and Daniel Theis, and sending Jonas Valanciunas to the Wizards via sign and trade. While the Louisiana side has done its best to create a roster capable of title contention, David Griffin and Co. are yet to deal with the issue of Brandon Ingram being unhappy with his contract situation.
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Ingram is entering the final year of his five-year, $158 million deal that he signed in 2020. Therefore, he is eligible to receive a new contract extension. As per numerous reports, BI is seeking a max contract, potentially a four-year, $208 million deal. However, the franchise has shown no interest in accepting these terms.
After not getting the lucrative deal that he is expecting, the 2020 Most Improved Player hinted at parting ways with the franchise. In a cryptic Instagram Story, the All-Star shared a clip where the speaker (Pastor Keion Henderson) can be seen talking about leaving a situation that doesn’t appreciate someone’s true value.
“You cannot stay in environments where people don’t know the true value of you. If you stay in environments where people don’t recognize the value of you, you will shrink your gift to the size of what they can stand,” Ingram’s clip noted.
Ah… the NBA is real quiet, literally nothing happening… All the trades seem to be done…
Oh hey Brandon Ingram Just posted this! pic.twitter.com/kXfNpndGZV
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) August 30, 2024
From what this not-so-subtle social media activity suggests, Ingram is not happy with the situation he is in.
Despite the disappointment, the Pelicans do consider BI as one of their crucial long-term pieces alongside Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Murray. Hence, the team reportedly offered Ingram and his camp a four-year, $180 million deal. But the offer was turned down.
As of now, Ingram’s stats don’t justify him being rewarded with a $200+ million deal. In the five seasons that he has represented the Pelicans, the 6ft 8” forward recorded 23.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. During this period, the former Duke Blue Devil also received only a single All-Star nod.
For Ingram to receive the kind of contract that he’s demanding, he will need to perform at an All-NBA level while leading his team past the second round of the playoffs. Hopefully, he is able to achieve both of these feats in the upcoming season.
