The hope is that a healthy Ingram helps improve the Raptors’ tepid half-court offence, and the backline of Barnes and Poeltl and can make up for some defensive shortcomings on the perimeter. If Ingram plays his best basketball, the cost of the acquisition will seem reasonable.

Wednesday, the eve of the trade deadline, ended up being Ingram’s last day as a Pelican. It's a trade that feels a lot like one the Saints made in early November when they traded Marshon Lattimore. Both Ingram and Lattimore will go down as arguably the best player at their position in their team's history. Both were plagued by injuries.

The first-round pick headed to the Pelicans is top-four protected in 2026 and comes via the Indiana Pacers, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. The Raptors acquired the pick as part of last year's Pascal Siakam trade.