Pels' Ingram Skips Minicamp Ahead of Final Year of Contract

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram did not attend a voluntary minicamp held by Pelicans players in California last week, according to sources reported by The Athletic's William Guillory.

Ingram, along with the recently signed Daniel Theis, was the only player absent from the camp. Pelicans officials had anticipated Ingram's presence at the event, which was seen as an opportunity for him to work with newly acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, Guillory reported.

Ingram shared a clip on Instagram last week featuring a Houston-area pastor discussing the importance of leaving "environments where people don't know the true value of you."

At 27 years old, Ingram is entering the final season of a five-year contract with the Pelicans.

Following New Orleans' sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2024 postseason, Ingram accepted responsibility for his performance throughout the season. He committed to improving after what was his least productive season with the Pelicans. The Duke product averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field and 35% from beyond the arc.

Ingram and the Pelicans are working towards keeping the former All-Star in New Orleans, as reported by NBA insider Shams Charania on "The Pat McAfee Show" in early August.

However, the Pelicans are cautious about committing another near-max salary, with Ingram seeking $45 million to $50 million per year in an extension, Charania added.

New Orleans already has long-term extensions for Murray, Zion Williamson, and CJ McCollum, each worth at least $30 million per season. Sharpshooter Trey Murphy is also expected to seek an extension as he has one year remaining on his rookie contract and will become a restricted free agent next summer.

The Pelicans are scheduled to hold their team training camp from October 1-6 in Nashville. The team's season will commence on October 23 against the Chicago Bulls.