New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram was anticipated to participate in a voluntary exercise in Los Angeles, however never ever revealed, exercising his right to the “voluntary” part.

But per Will Guillory of The Athletic, Ingram’s lack appeared to capture the others off guard. Everyone else on the group remained in LA, minus Ingram and brand-new center Daniel Theis. Difference is, Theis had actually made it recognized ahead of time he wouldn’t participate in. Ingram was a surprise.

Of course, of those 2, Ingram is the only one who’s looking for an agreement extension and has actually been the consistent topic of offseason trade reports. Neither the trade nor extension seems en route.

“But with Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, and CJ McCollum already on lucrative contracts for at least the next two seasons and 24-year-old wing Trey Murphy now eligible to sign a large extension of his own, the Pelicans have little interest in also supplying Ingram a four-year maximum extension worth a projected $207.8 million,” Guillory wrote. “The decision becomes easier for a small-market team like New Orleans, which always has to be cautious when giving out those big-money deals.”

Ingram balanced 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 helps, last season shooting 49.2% from the field, 35.5% from beyond the arc and 80.1% from the free-throw line.

The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Pelicans in the preliminary of the 2024 playoffs. Ingram balanced 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.3 helps, 1.0 takes and 1.3 blocks while shooting 34.5% general and 25.0% from 3 in the series. 

A Duke item, Ingram has profession averages of 19.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.3 helps, 0.7 takes and 0.6 blocks with the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans. He won the 2019-20 Most Improved Player of the Year Award. 

Ingram is set to make $36 million next season.

According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Ingram’s camp looked for groups to pay the wing $210 million. 

“Ingram, with one All-Star appearance on his resume like Lauri Markkanen, has only one season left on his current contract and is said to be seeking a four-year contract extension worth nearly $210 million,” Stein composed. “The Pelicans have made it clear that they won’t go to those lengths to re-sign him and, while various teams have explored Ingram trades since the offseason began in earnest, no other team willing to sign the 26-year-old at those numbers has yet emerged … with league sources saying that Ingram’s camp has also joined the efforts to find one.”

(Ashish Mathur added to this report.)