NBA Report: Brandon Ingram was finally signed by the Los Angeles Lakers to a $102 million contract… Details
The days and hours leading up to free agency really seem to set the Lakers up for something big. D’Angelo Russell opting into his contract opened up lots of trade options and LeBron James’ willingness to take a pay cut opened up lots of free agency options.
And yet, here the Lakers sit on July 8 without any changes to the roster. The team’s free agency targets turned them down and the trade options haven’t materialized, whether due to the new CBA or the lack of interest in Russell and the other Lakers on the trade market.
The Lakers are operating as a team without a sense of urgency, which makes sense in some ways. They just hired a first-time head coach and have spoken about player development. But so long as you have LeBron James on the roster, you’re competing for a title.
So, where do the Lakers turn from here? While LeBron ended the free agency flexibility — something the market also ended as well — there are still trade options available. And one very interesting name could be old friend Brandon Ingram.
The Pelicans are at a crossroads with Ingram. He’s entering the final year of his deal and is seeking a four-year max at $208 million. But with New Orleans unwilling to make that commitment, the belief coming into the offseason was the two sides would be parting ways via trade.
But, like the Lakers, New Orleans has not had a successful offseason navigating that path. On Monday, Will Guillory of The Athletic wrote a piece about the Pelicans’ lack of options to make a trade with Ingram.
