Ingram the centrepiece of three trades, Toronto Raptors surprisingly busy at deadline
TORONTO — Brandon Ingram was the centrepiece of three deals the surprisingly busy Toronto Raptors made in the 24 hours before Thursday's NBA's trade deadline.
Toronto acquired Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans for Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk of Kamloops, B.C., a 2026 first-round pick and a 2031 second-round pick.
"We see Brandon as an integral part of this team's future – he's an elite scorer, he has a really diverse offensive skill set, and adding him to the young core we have is huge as we continue our quest to win in Toronto," said Raptors vice-chairman and president Masai Ujiri in a statement.
"At the same time, we welcome Brandon, we need to really thank Bruce and Kelly.
"They have been professionals and leaders and they've been great teammates and examples for all of us. We wish them all the best moving forward.'
At 27 years old, Ingram is younger than the 28-year-old Brown and 33-year-old Olynyk.
The Raptors young core includes Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett of Mississauga, Ont. Ingram is in the final year of a five-year, US$158 million contract that is eligible for an extension.
The first-round pick was the Indiana Pacers' top-four protected selection in the 2026 draft.
The Raptors also traded Davion Mitchell to the Miami Heat for veteran forward PJ Tucker, a 2026 second-round pick, and cash.
Toronto also got centre James Wiseman and cash from Indiana for draft considerations. Wiseman was then waived.
A six-foot-eight small forward, Ingram is averaging 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists this season but hasn't played since Dec. 7 with a sprained left ankle.
A team official said Ingram will be evaluated by Raptors medical staff on the road as Toronto has stops in Oklahoma City on Friday and Houston on Sunday.
Toronto acquired Brown on Jan. 17, 2024, as part of a blockbuster deal with the Pacers for all-star Pascal Siakam. He's averaged 8.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists this season after missing time following off-season arthroscopic knee surgery.
Olynyk grew up in Toronto before moving to Kamloops as a teenager. He was traded to his boyhood team by the Utah Jazz on Feb. 8, 2024, ahead of last season's trade deadline.
He signed a two-year extension with the Raptors on March 4 worth a reported $26.25 million.
Olynyk also started the 2024-25 campaign injured with back issues, but has averaged seven points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists so far this season.
The Raptors acquired Mitchell in an off-season trade with Sacramento. He's averaging 6.3 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 44 games this season.
The second-round draft pick Toronto sent to Miami is from the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 39-year-old Tucker, who had two previous stints with the Raptors, is averaging 1.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 31 games this season.
Wiseman had six points and a rebound for the Pacers. He tore his Achilles tendon after shooting a three-pointer in his first game of the season.
Toronto (16-36) currently has a 42.1 per cent chance of getting a top four pick in the NBA draft lottery and a 10.5 per cent chance of selecting first overall this summer
Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg is the consensus top pick in the 2025 draft.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
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