NBA Rumors: Brandon Ingram Proves Why He Deserves Max Contract This Summer

Brandon Xavier Ingram continues to surprise everyone with his sterling 2019-20 NBA season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Starting the season with plenty of questions in the air, there is no doubt that the second-overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft has proved naysayers wrong. Now, the pressure is on the Pelicans. Will they hand him a much-deserved max contract in the summer?

Unlike other players, Ingram has something that would concern the Pelicans and any other NBA team for that matter. That blood clot issue remains a concern although it has yet to stop him from putting up career numbers for the Pels.

For the 2019-20 NBA season, Ingram has played in 36 games averaging 25.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists, per Basketball-Reference.com. He was eligible for a contract extension last Oct. 21 but nothing went down. However, Brian Windhorst of the "Hoop Collective" podcast claimed that the 22-year-old forward will be given a huge contract in the offseason.

But what if Ingram opts to listen to other offers? What if some other team offers him a huge paycheck as well with better chances of winning? These are just some of the possibilities that loom if the Pelicans are not careful.

For New Orleans, being wary of Ingram's health is understandable. The former Duke Blue Devil had a sterling last season with the Los Angeles Lakers before he was forced to the sidelines. He was ruled out for the season on Mar. 9 due to a deep vein thrombosis in his arm. He was curiously included in the Anthony Davis trade with most paying close attention to his health.

With Zion Williamson out, Ingram took it upon himself to step up. He has been doing a fine job so far. In the Pelicans last game, he scored a career-high 49 points, five coming in overtime against the Utah Jazz. This NBA season, Ingram has scored at least 30 points in nine games. Three of those were against the Jazz, the Associated Press reported.

However, it remains that the Pelicans are a team in search of a new identity. They are currently toting a 16-26 win-loss record and will need to make a push to make it to the NBA playoffs. If they sputter, one can only imagine the suitors knocking on Ingram's door after the current season. Hence, New Orleans must waste no time securing his services - that is unless they have other plans in mind.