Check | Yingsong trade next: go to the heat to replace Butler？To the Nets for Claxton？

(The original article was published on September 6 by Andy Bailey of Bleachers. The content of the article does not reflect the views of the translator.)

NBA rumors are always buzzing, even during the quietest of offseasons。With weeks to go until training camp begins, Ingram's future (or lack of one) with the Pelicans is the latest topic to surface。Ingram's absence from voluntary practice this week has raised questions about whether he will play the rest of the season with the Pelicans。At the same time, it is tricky to determine where he will go next。

Ingram reportedly wants a Max contract extension, but his on-court performance doesn't support doing so。Presumably, any team that might trade him would have to come up with the money or explain to Ingram and his agent why he's not worth the Max。It's a tough decision, and it's hard for any team to willingly sign Ingram to a Max offer。

Still, there are some teams that could prove worth the gamble。Ingram, who just turned 27, is nowhere near the shooting skills required by the modern game and doesn't defend as well as his arm span and athleticism should, but he has averaged 22 per game over the past three seasons.5分5.7助攻。In the right environment and role, Ingram might be able to help a team take it to a whole new level and then get a desired contract extension。Here are the teams that could realistically offer that or have other reasons to trade for Ingram。

Miami Heat

The Jimmy Butler era is coming to an end for the Heat。Butler is in the final season of his current contract, and Heat President Pat Riley poured cold water on the idea of him re-signing after this season。Even if Butler stays with the Heat beyond the summer of 2025, the title of "face of the team" could soon pass to someone else (possibly Adebayor).。Butler will turn 36 before the 2025-26 season begins。All of this suggests that the Heat may be in the market for a new small forward。Of course, Ingram is not currently on the path to becoming "the next Butler," and in fact is far from it。The Heat had reason to convince themselves that Jaime Harkes Jr. and Tyler Herro would eventually replace the team's current superstars。

However, the addition of Ingram could provide more room for both men to develop。With his mid-range offense, decent playmaking skills, and theoretically the ability to switch between multiple defensive assignments, Ingram could be a C+ or B- version of Butler。If Heat President Mike Riley and the rest of the front office can convince Ingram to sign a new, more reasonable contract, he could take on a secondary playmaker role alongside Adebayo, Jaime Harkes Jr., Shiro or any other player who might emerge from the young core。The biggest hurdle here, though, has little to do with how Ingram fits into the Heat's existing framework。The Pelicans didn't really need to replace Ingram with a guard. The Pelicans have that。What they lack most is a center, and the Heat obviously can't trade Adebayor for Ingram。The Heat's best salarie-matching contracts are for Rozier, Duncan Robinson and Shiro, and would have to package multiple deals to match Ingram's amount。For now, at least, finding a workable deal will be tricky。

The Cleveland Cavaliers

Earlier this summer, the idea of Ingram joining the Cavaliers seemed to go through the entire life cycle of NBA gossip。After Yahoo Sports reporter Jake Fischer reported "Cavs interest in Ingram," then explained that the Cavs didn't want to break up the core of the current roster, the trade rumors died in just a few days。Now it's time to revive that idea。The Cavaliers have two redundant players in the starting five tigers, Mitchell and Garland should probably be the team's main point guards, they are small players, playing them together will make the defensive task more difficult, but also make the offense into a "you play one shot I play one shot" situation。Then, on the other side of the lineup, the Cavs basically start two centers。If Mobley's jump shot doesn't develop by leaps and leaps, playing him alongside Jarrett Allen could lead to a crowded offense and a slightly less versatile defense。

Now, a trade involving Ingram might not make much sense if the Pelicans don't include players other than Ingram。The Pelicans already have Dejuntai Murray, McCollum and a bunch of wing players to fill out the rotation, and it's hard to find a role for Garland, not to mention Mitchell, who the Cavs are unlikely to trade。On the other hand, Ingram's exchange with Jarrett Allen makes perfect sense。Setting aside Ingram's next contract (the Cavs can't ignore this, but bear with me for a moment), in terms of short-term adaptability, the move would elevate Mobley Jr. to his more comfortable position at No. 5, which would open up breakout routes for Mitchell, Garland and Ingram。

Assuming the Cavs' front office and coaching staff are able to communicate effectively with Ingram, the situation would give Ingram a role more suited to his skill and talent level。There is no doubt that Ingram will rank behind Mitchell in scoring priority。Given Garland's age and growth curve, Ingram could even swing between the team's third and fourth options (depending on how Mobley Jr. plays on a given night).。If Ingram is the team's best or second-best player, you probably won't get any further than the Pelicans have in recent years;But if he is the third or fourth best player on the team, then you have a good chance of being a contender。

SAN Antonio Spurs

This is another scenario in which Ingram is clearly going to be the team's second or third option, making it easier for the Spurs to find a logical trade scenario and justify an extension。The contracts of Harrison Barnes, Keldon Johnson and Zach Collins (who could surpass Missy and Tice in rotation priority if Collins joins the Pelicans) would be a good fit to balance out the salary and add a center。With Vimbanyama's rookie contract and Vassell's signing price below the Max, the Spurs could even justify a higher salary extension for Ingram over the next two to three years, though it may still be difficult to convince themselves to pay him a Max deal。The deal might not be ideal in terms of roster fit, with Ingram potentially taking some of the ball away from Vimbanama, Vassel or Paul。But he could provide the Spurs with a consistent 20-point scorer, taking a bit of pressure off the team's up-and-comers。If there's one team and coaching staff that can finally use Ingram's physique to build a really good defense, it's probably the Spurs。

Brooklyn Nets

The idea of a trade between the Nets and Ingram is pretty simple。Claxton is a qualified starting center, something the Pelicans are lacking right now。In fact, Claxton was enough for the Pelicans to add some draft assets to Ingram to facilitate the deal。Space can be an issue for the frontcourt of Claxton and Zion, but Herbert Jones, Murphy and Dechuntai Murray can also wreak havoc on an opponent's offense。

For the Nets, the move is merely a further dismantling of the roster after trading for Mikal Bridges and regaining control of their 2025 first-round pick。The Nets are in asset accumulation mode, making Claxton a draft pick alone makes sense, and they don't actually have to convince themselves to re-sign Ingram。His expiring contract will be off the books next summer, giving the Nets more flexibility as they build their roster around the rookies selected in the next few drafts。

Trading Claxton for Ingram won't have much of an impact on the Nets' lottery pick next summer, either。From Dec. 11 to the end of the season, the Nets went 20-41, the seventh-worst record in the league。They'll probably spend a lot of time trying to get rid of veterans like Cameron Johnson, Finney Smith and Schroder。Adding an Ingram alone won't bring a ton of wins, nor will the Nets drop out of the race for Cooper-Flagg。

Original article: Andy Bailey

Compiled by Li Taibai