The Raptors have long been known for the presence of powerful swingmen or forwards. From Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter to Rudy Gay and DeMar DeRozan to even Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. They seem to be committed to this path with their development of Scottie Barnes, hoping to see him become the face of the franchise. A forward who can excel at what he struggles with would make the Raptors instant Playoff threats.
Brandon Ingram is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists this season. His on-ball scoring, shooting ability, and even developing playmaking skills would be perfect next to Barnes. He would also be a great veteran for developing scorers like Gradey Dick, creating a fun roster with multiple weapons to rely upon. This deal also helps the Raptors keep players like Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl, creating the genesis of a very competitive squad that could be Playoff-caliber with Ingram next season. Coupled with the development of their young core and a lottery addition from the 2025 Draft, this could accelerate the Raptors' rebuild. The lack of a trade market around Brandon Ingram isn't an indictment of his ability. It is more of a reflection of the market reality in the NBA right now. No contending team has $36 million in disposable contract to make a move for someone like Ingram, even if it winds up being a half-season rental for the Playoffs. There's genuine concern about what he wants in his future contract as well, so it isn't the best asset to have. Bruce Brown is averaging 9.1 points and 4.2 rebounds after recently making his season debut. His expiring contract will continue affording the Pelicans the salary flexibility they would get this summer if they just let Ingram expire. They could also move Brown to a team that's trying to contend this season, but his contract has proven challenging for contending teams to acquire as well.
Kelly Olynyk is averaging 7.0 points and 3.4 rebounds. His role as a veteran center could be beneficial to the Pelicans next season, especially due to his shooting ability. He's shooting 48.6% from three this season and could be an alternate option to a non-stretch big like Yves Missi for the Pelicans.
Getting a first-round pick is the real scalp for the Pelicans, as no team has been willing to offer one for Ingram up until this point. Instead of waiting for the summer to make a game-changing move, the Raptors do it in the winter and start building continuity which could be useful next season. They could afford to give Ingram a short-term max contract to keep him on the franchise which will allow them to move on from him if he doesn't live up to expectations.
The lost assets are marginal anyway, with the 2026 Pacers pick likely to be outside the lottery. It's still a positive for the Pelicans compared to losing Ingram for nothing in the summer, but the Raptors' have a greater ceiling on how valuable this deal could be. If Ingram maintains his offensive production and can be the kind of passing forward who can link everyone together, the Raptors might push for the top six next season.