NBA Rumors: Hawks Don't Want to Give Brandon Ingram a New Contract or Trade Capela
July 8, 2024
The Atlanta Hawks were reportedly unwilling to offer Brandon Ingram a new contract during trade discussions with the New Orleans Pelicans.
According to William Guillory of The Athletic, Atlanta "didn't have much interest" in giving Ingram a new deal and breaking up the team's center rotation of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu.
Instead, the Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to New Orleans on June 28 in exchange for Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell and Larry Nance Jr. as well as two first-round picks.
Ingram currently has one season remaining on a five-year, $158 million deal that he signed with the team in 2020. He'll earn a base salary of $36 million during his 2024-25 campaign before he's set to hit unrestricted free agency (via Spotrac).
With no long-term extension in place, the Pelicans can move him for assets and avoid him leaving as a free agent in 2025 with no return. While the Hawks weren't interested in giving Ingram a new contract, there are still several other potential suitors.
Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported on June 28 that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Sacramento Kings were both interested in Ingram.
However, Sacramento may not view him as a realistic option anymore after acquiring DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade deal with the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. DeRozan received a three-year deal worth $74 million as part of the move, which was likely much less expensive compared to Ingram's next contract.
The 26-year-old has remained a steady contributor for the Pelicans, although his individual production has plateaued after he earned an All-Star nod in 2020. Ingram averaged 20.8 points per game during his 2023-24 campaign, representing his lowest scoring average with New Orleans.
He also struggled during the Pelicans' first-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Without Zion Williamson, Ingram averaged a mere 14.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 34.5/25.0/89.5 shooting splits.
While New Orleans could still find a trade partner for the former No. 2 overall pick, Atlanta doesn't appear to be a potential landing spot.