Brandon Ingram was the biggest piece going back to the Los Angeles Clippers in the blockbuster Kawhi Leonard trade. Prior to the trade, there were some reports indicating that the Clippers were not interested in Ingram, so what does that mean now? Here are three potential scenarios for how this may play out.
The Clippers keeping Ingram is probably the safest option, as there aren’t many trade packages that would return anything of value. They don’t necessarily need him, as they seem to be focusing on a younger core led by Darius Garland, Keaton Wagler, and Benedict Mathurin. Do they really want Ingram taking up playing time and shot opportunities from those younger guys? Well, maybe. We’ll get to that later with scenario three.
Ingram alone would not net the Clippers much of anything in return. His contract almost makes him a negative asset, and his recent injury history does not help that. Now, his contract could be used in a beneficial way to get back a star player on a max deal. Obviously, additional picks and players would need to be involved, but there are some players available. Check out some trade rumors articles for some of the big-contract players LA could pursue.
Yes! The Clippers giving Ingram playing time and opportunity over the younger players discussed in scenario one would only be acceptable in this case. This is the way for Los Angeles to maximize their investment and continue to stockpile draft picks. If Ingram plays well, they could get 3x what they would get right now. If he doesn’t, his value really can’t get much lower. This is definitely the best option, unless, of course, they can land Jaylen Brown.
Ingram is an interesting name to watch in the coming days and weeks. The Clippers are believed to have not been really interested in Ingram, leaving the door wide open for a potential move. Allowing him to play heavy minutes in a big role for the first half of the 2026-27 season then trading him with replenished value is the way to go.
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