2025 was a wild year for trades in the NBA. From the Los Angeles Lakers breaking the internet to a plethora of other moves that reshaped almost every roster across the league, it was a reshuffling for the ages.
Among those moves, one that went quietly under the radar was Brandon Ingram ending his tenure with the New Orleans Pelicans and joining the Toronto Raptors instead. Now building a strong career in the north, the veteran forward made his first return since the trade.
Brandon Ingram Comes Back to New Orleans
Starting his career as the second overall pick in 2016 for the Lakers, Ingram eventually made his way to the Pelicans as part of the king’s ransom that LA gave up to acquire Anthony Davis. In the end, the trade may have worked out well for the up-and-coming star.
Getting the ball back in his hands, he became the primary scorer for his new roster and was a shoo-in for over 20 points per game on good shooting numbers. However, as a team, the Pelicans could not find consistent success, reaching the playoffs just twice in his six seasons with the franchise.
Eventually, with their current trajectory going nowhere, New Orleans bit the bullet and sent him to the Raptors via trade. Since joining Toronto, he has signed a 3-year, $120 million contract extension that should keep him around for quite some time.
In his first season with the team, he’s averaging 21.5 points and 5.7 rebounds, while suiting up in 63 games out of 65 so far. Game 65, though, was a particularly special one for the veteran forward, as he made his return to the Smoothie King Center.
Not only did the franchise give him a heartfelt tribute on the jumbotron, but the appreciation was mutual. Speaking to Will Guillory of The Athletic, Ingram was candid when talking about his love and connection to the city.
Brandon Ingram on his connection with New Orleans:
“It reminded me of home. I can say this, how ‘ghetto’ it was *laughs*. The slang. Everything. It just reminded me of home. When I traveled around town, it reminded me of Kinston. There was connectivity from me walking in…
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) March 12, 2026
“It reminded me of home. I can say this, how ‘ghetto’ it was *laughs*. The slang. Everything. It just reminded me of home. When I traveled around town, it reminded me of Kinston. There was connectivity from me walking in different restaurants, the love that we shared. It always felt like home.”
But this is also a player who has a lot to look forward to. As the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, with half a game separating them from the sixth-seeded Miami Heat, the race for a playoff spot is tightening up heading into the season’s final stretch.
With just two postseason appearances under his belt so far in his career, this season marks a unique opportunity for Ingram to make it back to the dance and potentially make a deep run out of it.
