Former Duke basketball player Brandon Ingram has signed a 3-year, $120 million extension with the Toronto Raptors after being traded from the New Orleans Pelicans ahead of this year's NBA trade deadline, ESPN's Shams Charania reports.
Ingram was dealt to Toronto for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick.
The 27-year old spent the last five seasons with New Orleans after being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers, the team that drafted him, in order for Los Angeles to acquire Anthony Davis back in 2019.
Ingram has consistently been one of the better wings in the NBA across his five seasons with the Pelicans, averaging over 20 points per game in each season he was a member of the team.
Yet, he was discussed in trade talks over the last few seasons heavily, but a deal was never done until this season.
The Pelicans signed Ingram to a five-year, $158 million contract extension that Ingram was now in the final year of, set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
Now, the Pelicans choose to get some assets back rather than let him walk in free agency, as it was unlikely he would've been resigning with New Orleans this offseason.
New Orleans is in the midst of a dreadful season after coming into it with hopes of making the playoffs and competing after trading for Dejounte Murray last offseason and expecting to get Zion Williamson back at full strength.
That hasn't worked out, and the Pelicans currently sit with the second-worst record in the NBA at 12-41.
Ingram now joins an exciting young Raptors team and fits as a scoring wing that can create his own shot next to star big man Scottie Barnes. Along with young backcourt pieces like Gradey Dick, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley, Ingram now joins a Raptors team that is looking to ascend in the coming seasons.
Toronto is currently 16-37 and six games back from the Chicago Bulls, who hold the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference Play-In.
Ingram played one season at Duke in 2015-16 and was drafted #2 overall by the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft.