21 up-for-grabs players who may play a starring role in NBA trade deadline rumors

Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans

There's something brewing in New Orleans. Per The Athletic's William Guillory (subscription required), Pelicans players held a week-long voluntary minicamp recently, and Brandon Ingram was one of two players to not show up. One could argue that Ingram may have had something else going on, but Guillory reported the Pelicans had anticipated their star would be there and he simply was a no-show.

Could this relate to Ingram's current contract situation? The recently-turned 27-year-old is about to enter the final year of a five-year extension, and he might be on the hunt for some financial security. If the Pelicans are unwilling to meet his demands, that could potentially lead to them testing his market to see if they could get something valuable for the All-Star rather than lose him for nothing.

While he's coming off an incredibly poor playoff showing, Ingram is still a quality player, primarily due to his scoring ability. Averaging over 20 points per game in each of the last five seasons, he can put the ball in the basketball frequently and from all over the court. He's not a top option, but for teams who need a complementary scoring threat, Ingram could be their target.

If a trade does come to fruition, any interested party would likely have to have an extension already in mind before his $36 million deal expires next year.