Grade the mock trade: Blazers weigh risk in Brandon Ingram pitch with Pelicans

The Portland Trail Blazers are going to be one of the most discussed teams in terms of potential trades between now and February's deadline. They are in a unique situation as one of the few teams that are truly rebuilding yet still have multiple established players on their roster.

While a 5-8 record and back-to-back wins over the Minnesota Timberwolves are promising for their outlook in 2024-25, at least relative to expectations, it could also signal another reason why it's essential to trade away some of their top talent to help land a top draft pick in 2025.

Portland has multiple players that make a lot of sense to move in the coming months, but arguably the most obvious is Deandre Ayton. The Blazers' center spot is their strongest positional depth. With Robert Williams III now healthy and Donovan Clingan coming off the best game of his young career, it could already be time for Rip City to move on from Ayton, who is just now entering his second season with Portland.

Latest B/R trade pitch has Blazers swapping Ayton for Ingram

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey recently proposed five trade ideas that could actually work, one of which involved the Blazers moving on from Ayton in exchange for one-time All-Star Brandon Ingram. Ayton is the highest-paid player on the Blazers' roster at $34 million, while Ingram is second for New Orleans at $36 million, barely behind Zion Williamson. Because of their hefty but similar contracts, the deal is a simple swap of Ayton for Ingram.

The Pelicans have been hindered by a plethora of injuries to key players to start the 2024-25 season, which has played a significant role in their 4-10 record. Ayton could make sense for them as someone who is more than capable of generating his own looks and would address a glaring positional hole in New Orleans' starting lineup.

Ingram's future in New Orleans was already up in the air to start the season, and the fact that they are off to such a sluggish start in the competitive Western Conference doesn't help their chances of retaining him this offseason.

Is Ingram worth the risk on an expiring deal?

While Ingram is a better player than Ayton in a vacuum, the trade makes sense for the Pelicans from that standpoint. But is it worth the risk for Portland? The Blazers would be taking an unnecessary gamble that an All-Star-level player in his prime would want to commit to a team with no playoff aspirations. He also would help the Blazers win games, which is a negative factor to consider, given how early they are in the rebuilding process.

Still, Ingram is the perfect fit for the Blazers' rebuilding identity that GM Joe Cronin is emphasizing. They are trying to establish themselves as a lengthy and versatile team that finally has switchable wings between Jerami Grant, Deni Avdija, and Toumani Camara.

Cronin proved this past summer in the deal for Avdija that he's willing to trade for more established players despite their rebuilding status if he feels like the value is appropriate and they help get closer to playing the winning basketball they are eventually trying to achieve. The main difference in the deal with Avdija compared to this Ingram proposal is that Deni is locked up for multiple years on a team-friendly contract, while Ingram would likely demand the max if the Blazers would even be able to get a deal done.

But Portland desperately needs someone to be the face of their rebuild. Moving Ayton, who is on a burdensome contract, is an extremely reasonable price to pay that reflects the risk associated with the deal.

Blazers trade grade: A