Potential Detroit Pistons Trade Target Expected to be Moved

This summer, the Detroit Pistons are slated to have some of the largest cap space in the league. While this makes them a threat in free agency, they could go another route with this financial flexibility.

Still weeks away from the official start of the offseason, rumors are already starting to leak out around the league. One player brought up recently is New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

During a recent episode of the HoopsHype podcast, insider Michael Scotto detailed the latest on Ingram. He reported executives around the league expect New Orleans to move him due to his fit alongside Zion Williamson.

"Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is considered the most likely player to be traded by rival executives who spoke with HoopsHype," Scotto said. "Those executives believe the fit with Ingram and Zion isn’t ideal on the court. With Ingram entering the final season of his contract at $36 million, he’s been a trade candidate before, but he’s a prime trade candidate now."

Ingram is getting ready to enter the final season of a five-year deal he signed back in 2021. The 26-year-old is coming off his fifth-straight season of averaging at least 20 points per game.

If the Pelicans were to move on from Ingram, the Pistons could enter the mix for him. They could easily absorb his deal, and still have some cap space left over to make other moves to the supporting cast. Also, Ingram being on an expiring contract would help Detroit maintain financial flexibility moving forward.

From a fit perspective, Ingram could fit alongside Detroit's core. He is someone who can score on all three levels, and is capable of creating for himself. This would take some pressure off Cade Cunningham's shoulders on that end of the floor.

His three-point shooting is streaky, but Ingram has shown flashes of being an effective floor spacer. At the start of his tenure with the Pelicans, he shot around 39% from deep on six attempts per game. If he could replicate that output for the Pistons, it would elevate some of their floor spacing issues.

Ingram isn't the flashiest of names, but is an All-Star caliber talent who could help raise Detroit's floor as they look to advance in their rebuild.