He has barely had a chance to unpack his bags and settle in. One-time NBA All-Star forward Brandon Ingram will remain north of the border in Toronto after the 2024-25 season and beyond.
ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported Tuesday that Ingram and the Raptors have agreed to a three-year, $120 million contract extension.
Ingram was dealt to the Raptors last week but has yet to make his debut. He continues to be sidelined with an ankle injury.
The New Orleans Pelicans were doing everything they could to extend Ingram, but they were unsuccessful on numerous occasions. Ingram said thanks, but no thanks, turning down a $50 million contract in 2023 and a $40 million contract extension in 2024.
He will earn $40 million annually with the Raptors, who could be fighting for a coveted top pick in June’s 2025 NBA Draft.
The 27-year-old out of Duke was traded on Wednesday, February 5 from the Pelicans. In exchange, the Pelicans acquired guard and champion Bruce Brown Jr., center Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick, and one second-rounder.
Ingram has been productive for the Pelicans this season, averaging 22.2 points per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from 3-point range. However, health and staying on the court has been a major issue, as he has appeared in just 18 games and has not played since December 7 due to a bad ankle.
Embed from Getty ImagesIngram has played for the Pelicans for the last six-plus seasons. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, holds career averages of 19.5 points per game, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 0.7 steals in 495 career games.
He began his career with the Lakers before he was traded to the Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019.
With this deal, the Raptors get a capable shot creator and offensive force to complement their other top players, such as Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett, for the foreseeable future.
The former Duke Blue Devil is one of six players who average 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in each of the last four seasons.
While Ingram will now earn the bag, he could have earned an even bigger piece of the pie based on the current cap situation. If he had been patient and waited until free agency to sign a new contract with the Raptors, he would have been eligible to receive about $150 million over the next three years.
However, it appears that money is not the motivating factor for Ingram, and he genuinely wanted to have a new home in Canada.
