The New Orleans Pelicans will sign their All-Star forward Brandon Ingram to a five-year maximum contract extension worth a total of $158 million.
Ingram was brought to New Orleans last year in the deal that sent Pelicans star Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, who he helped lead to an NBA Championship in 2020.
The 23-year-old Ingram has flourished in New Orleans, setting career highs in points (23.8), rebounds (6.1), and assists (4.2) last season. He was also named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2020 and was named to the All-Star team for the first time in his career.
One of the biggest differences in Ingram’s game since leaving the Lakers is the very noticeable improvement in his three-point shooting. In his one and only season with the Pelicans so far, Ingram shot 39.1% from deep and made 150 three-pointers in 62 games. In his three years with the Lakers, his three-point shooting percentage was 32.9%.
The Pelicans are building the team around a young core of Ingram, budding star Zion Williamson, and Lonzo Ball. They also recently added center Steven Adams to the team to provide a veteran presence and sure up the frontcourt, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
