The rebuild is apparently over early as the Toronto Raptors are bringing in a brilliant scoring threat and saying goodbye to one of their only true hometown players.
The Raptors landed a seriously talented basketball player in Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for Bruce Brown, Scarborough’s own Kelly Olynyk as well as a 2026 first-round pick, and a second-round pick.
The first-round pick heading to New Orleans is reportedly the top-four protected selection from Indiana that Toronto received in last year’s blockbuster deal for all-star forward Pascal Siakam.
Ingram, a former NBA All-Star, is a legit 25-points a night player who is still in his prime. At one point in his career, Ingram was likened to a young Kevin Durant, he’s that good, and when he is on, almost as unguardable as Durant, one of the best scorers in the history of the game. But, Ingram comes with enough baggage to make local hoops fans uneasy. He’s injury-prone and currently on the injury list with a sprained ankle. He’s appeared in less than half of the Pelicans games so far this year. He’s also been pegged as someone who has motivation issues. The final issue is that there is no guarantee that he will resign with the team. The trade only secures Ingram’s “Bird rights,” meaning that the Raptors get the inside track on resigning him, but the choice is still absolutely Ingram’s and Ingram’s alone.
Breaking: The New Orleans Pelicans have traded Brandon Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown Jr., Kelly Olynyk, one first-round pick and one second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/tI4jo2cYhM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2025
The Raptors lineup would see Ingram along Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, Jacob Poeltl and Mississauga’s RJ Barrett. And, it is an interesting lineup to say the least, and at first glance, it doesn’t appear to be one that will mesh all that well together.
The good news is that the Raptors didn’t sell the farm, or the tank, to secure Ingram, so in my opinion it is worth a roll of the dice. If they can sign Ingram without overpaying that’s a win.
If the trade works out perfectly, the scenario would play out like this: Ingram plays sporadically over the next couple months, enjoys the city and the crowds, and decides to resign. He has said in the past that Toronto is one of this fave NBA cities. He doesn’t play enough to get the team back into the playoff hunt, so the Raptors also end up in the draft lottery where they have a chance of landing a great prospect. The consensus top pick in the current draft class is Duke’s Cooper Flagg, and he is a gem. But the top 5 picks are all projected to have all-star potential.
So, in a perfect world, Raptors will resign a new top scorer to play alongside Scottie Barnes, and draft a young superstar who could contribute right away off the bench as he develops. But, this kinda thing hasn’t really played out that well in the past.
Ingram, a six-foot-eight small forward, has been a consistent offensive presence, averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game this season. However, he has not played since Dec. 7 due to a sprained left ankle, and is not close to returning anytime soon.
Throwback when Brandon Ingram said Toronto is one of the best cities in the NBA pic.twitter.com/GWCWgBSLqD
— gotsebon (@gotsebon) February 6, 2025
The worst-case scenario sees Ingram play enough for the team to get the Raptors into the play-in, lose a favourable draft position and then sign in the off-season with another team.
ESPN first reported the details of the trade, which was confirmed by The Associated Press less than 16 hours before the NBA trade deadline.
For Raptors fans, the most bittersweet part of the deal may be the departure of Olynyk, one of the only players on the team, ever, with Toronto roots. The 32-year-old was born in the city before moving to Kamloops as a teenager and had relished the opportunity to play for his childhood team. His departure leaves the Raptors with even fewer ties to their hometown and the Canada Basketball, where Olynyk has been a standout player for the national team over the past decade.
The Raptors are sure to make more deals before the NBA’s trade deadline later today. This morning, the team also moved point guard Davion Mitchell to the Miami Heat in exchange for former Raptor P.J. Tucker, cash and a second-round draft pick. There is a good chance popular player Chris Boucher, who grew up in Montreal, will also be traded today. Also on the block, though less likely, is starting centre Jakob Poeltl.
