Sacramento Kings reportedly pursuing trade for New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram

The Sacramento Kings are reportedly exploring the possibility of a trade for New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram.

HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported the Kings have expressed exploratory interest in a trade for Ingram, a former All-Star who has averaged 19.4 points per game over eight NBA seasons.

Fox 40’s Sean Cunningham later confirmed the Kings are pursuing a trade for Ingram, noting that Ingram was an emerging star under former Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry, who now works in Sacramento’s front office.

The Kings are looking to upgrade their roster after a play-in tournament loss to the Pelicans prevented them from reaching the playoffs last season. Ingram would add more firepower to a Kings team that already features De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, Keegan Murray and Malik Monk. HoopsHype reported the Kings are presenting teams with potential trade packages that could include Kevin Huerter, Harrison Barnes and future first-round draft picks.

Ingram, 26, came out of Duke as the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. The 6-foot-8 small forward spent three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before New Orleans acquired him in a blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis.

Ingram has one year remaining on a five-year, $158.3 million contract. He is owed $36 million in the final year of the deal.

Ingram averaged a career-high 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists while shooting 39% from 3-point range in 2022-23. He averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists last season, shooting 35.5% from beyond the arc.

Kings general manager Monte McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox are aggressively exploring all opportunities to improve the roster following April’s play-in loss to the Pelicans. The Kings won 48 games to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference in 2022-23 — ending the longest playoff drought in NBA history after 16 consecutive losing seasons — but they fell to ninth last season despite winning 46 games.

The Kings have been active in trade talks with various teams around the league. During last week’s NBA draft, a league source told The Sacramento Bee, the Kings discussed trades for Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma and New Jersey Nets forward Cameron Johnson before selecting Providence guard Devin Carter with the No. 13 pick.

The Kings want to add size, length and athleticism at the forward spots. Ingram, a long, sinewy and slithery scorer, would fit that profile at 6-8 with a 7-3 wingspan and a 9-1 standing reach. At 26 years old, he also fits Sacramento’s timeline given the ages of Fox (26), Sabonis (28), Murray (23) and Monk (26).