The Pelicans plan to match any offer for restricted free agent Brandon Ingram, multiple sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. He shares that item as part of a response to a reader’s question on whether the Cavaliers will try to clear cap room for the offseason.
Ingram, who is coming off his first All-Star appearance, is a strong candidate for Most Improved Player. His scoring average has risen from 18.3 to 24.3 PPG and his numbers are up virtually across the board. He also seems to have overcome the Deep Venous Thrombosis issue that forced him to have season-ending surgery last March.
Health concerns factored into the Pelicans’ decision to not give Ingram a rookie scale extension in October, but he has proven his value in his first season in New Orleans. He will be among the top names this offseason in a relatively weak free agent class and should attract plenty of attention from the few teams with cap space.
I’d be worried on signing him to a long term deal. I have had a DVT. Once you have one, the likelihood of having more goes up quite a bit. It’s not a guarantee, but it would have to give you a little pause when thinking of hundred million dollar investment. This guy could be fine, but he could also easily be the next Chris Bosh forced to retire because of blood clots.
His contract is off the cap if he medically retires.
That’s true, but Bosh’s exit still set Miami back a few years. If you sign Ingram to be your franchise player and he retires, that means you don’t have a franchise player and they are not exactly that easy to get.
Uhhh, Zion?
I was referring to another team signing him away from NO, but point taken.
I’m pretty sure his contract is off the cap if he medically retires but only to an injury picked up after he signed the deal or an injury that wasn’t noticed before he signed the deal.
For Ingram he’s had injury issues for a while, Bosh had signed his deal then got Blood Clots from out of nowhere.
But don’t quote me on that
Bosh got paid 70+ million by the for his last 3 years and he didn’t play a game according to basketball reference.
…by the Heat…
So what? You still have to pay Ingram. Apples and oranges.
Signing him is a no brainer. He’s had a terrific year and has shown some chemistry with Zion. He can’t be replaced. That’s it. End of analysis. Not signing him is not an option.
lol
This is one of the easier matches even if it is a max. Simply bc no one is going to NO in FA they have to build it within.
This all seems so pointless right now…..
The world has to keep spinning Jorge.
Why?
I meant why Jorge? Do you think this is the end of the world?
Right? The world is weird right now. Everyone is trying really hard to pretend everything is still normal. It’s not.
Ingram who is a restricted free agent with NOLA means they have the right to match any deal given to him.
For example The Cavs offer him the max and the pelicans get to chose to match or not..
But ultimately is it down to Ingram which team and which deal he chooses or because the pelicans matched they get to keep him?
Cause I remember he seemed annoyed not getting offered a extension early and the fact Buddy Heild or one and he didn’t. Plus looking forward at the Pelicans it’s clear to see Zion is their go to guy and future, which leaves what for Ingram?
He’s born and raised in North Carolina, went to high school and duke in the area. Maybe he thinks about that and Charlotte? Cavs can offer him the money and opportunity?
It’s not up to Ingram. He can sign the offer sheet but if the Pelicans match he’s still a Pelican regardless of what he wants.
They said they would match any offer so If I was a GM of another team, I would test that theory. If the team matches an outrageous number, then the other GM did his job—-jammed up another teams cap and could force them to trade other players. All is fair in a cap war.
That’s what the Nets did to the Blazers and Heat.
This is a no brainer. The big question will be what they do with Ball after next year. He’ll be looking to get max dollars as well.
The word is that Griffin valued trading for Ingram and he was never on the block, but his medical status kept anyone from making an offer. It now looks like it would have been a great deal to get him and his bird rights.