Mock Trade Presents Pistons’ Path to Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram

This summer, the pressure is on the Detroit Pistons to get on a path to putting together a winning season. After going 14-68, placing last in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons have a shot at the No. 1 overall pick in 2024, along with tons of cap space.

The Pistons will be a team to watch in the free agency market, but they could be busy in the trade market as well. While they were active as sellers during the 2024 trade deadline, they might look to make a splash or two this summer, as they search for critical additions to help them turn begin turning things around.

Recently, a mock trade put together by The Athletic shows a possible path for the Pistons to acquire New Orleans Pelicans standout, Brandon Ingram.

Feb 1, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) drives to the | Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

In the mock deal, the Pistons would receive Ingram, along with a first-round pick in 2024. The Pistons would swap out Jalen Duren and their 2024 pick.

It’s simple: If the Detroit Pistons want to acquire a proven veteran, they have to part ways with some of their upside talent. Duren, the 13th overall pick in 2022, is certainly one of Detroit’s most intriguing developmental prospects.

Coming off of his freshman season at Memphis in 2022, Duren was one of the most notable centers in college basketball.

During his rookie season with the Pistons, Duren appeared in 67 games, starting in nearly half of those matchups, while averaging 25 minutes on the court. In his rookie effort, Duren averaged nine points and nine rebounds while converting on 65 percent of his shots.

For his sophomore effort, Duren turned into a full-time starter for the Pistons, seeing his playing time increase to 29 minutes per game. With a slight role increase, Duren produced 14 points per game, averaging a double-double by coming down with 12 rebounds per outing.

While his field goal percentage slightly dipped, it remained above 60 percent. From the charity stripe, he averaged nearly 80 percent, a notable increase from his rookie effort.

Like any trade in the NBA, this deal would be risky for Detroit. Not only would the Pistons part with a young core player, but they would also receive a player on an expiring contract in return.

In 2024-2025, Ingram is slated to make $36 million. After wrapping up the five-year deal he signed for the 2020-2021 season, Ingram would be set to hit the free agency market as an unrestricted agent in 2026.

As The Athletic’s James Edwards notes, in order for Detroit to feel at ease with a deal where they would land Ingram, there would need to be assurance from the veteran sharpshooter that he’ll re-sign. Considering where the Pistons are at as a franchise, that might be a tough sell, for a 26-year-old player who is likely looking for a long-term contract offer.

If the Pelicans are open for business on the Ingram front, he’s just the type of player they could use to build around Cade Cunningham.

This past season, Ingram started in a career-high 64 games. He averaged 21 points, five rebounds, and six assists while knocking down 36 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.