The Toronto Raptors swung for a big fish at the trade deadline and acquired Brandon Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans. The Raptors traded away Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown, but there were talks that RJ Barrett could have been included in the deal. Surprisingly, the Pelicans were not interested in him, according to HoopsHype.
“Barrett was discussed in trade talks for Ingram with New Orleans, but the Pelicans preferred the expiring contract of Bruce Brown and stretch-five center Kelly Olynyk, who’s owed $13.45 million next season, league sources told HoopsHype. With Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones already on the wing, the Pelicans didn’t view Barrett as a suitable fit for their roster as talks would have necessitated finding a third team, sources said,” HoopsHype wrote.
Though Barrett is having one of the best seasons of his career, the Pelicans didn’t see how the fit with him Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones would work, and they were going to have to find a third team for him.
The Raptors now have a solid young core of Ingram, Barrett, and Scottie Barnes, and it will be interesting to see what they plan to do with their draft pick. At one point during the season, many thought they would be one of the frontrunners for the top pick and possibly be in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.
Since then, the Raptors have been winning games, and they’re more on the outside of landing the top pick unless the lottery balls fall in their favor.
There’s still a chance that Barrett could be on the move this offseason, especially since the Raptors put him in trade talks regarding Ingram. It will be interesting to see what direction they plan on going and what they want their roster to look like for the future.
As for now, many are waiting to see the debut of Ingram with the Raptors and how he would fit with the current team.
The post NBA rumors: Why Pelicans didn’t want RJ Barrett in Raptors’ Brandon Ingram trade appeared first on ClutchPoints.
