Much has been made of late about adding fuel to the fire by trading stars, as though moving off those players will only incentivize them to grow their game.
At his introductory press conference on Wednesday following his trade and subsequent three-year, $120 million contract extension, the forward spoke about the two-way street named desire that came with a move to the Raptors and how Toronto differs from his time in New Orleans.
“In New Orleans, the media coverage isn’t really great …” Ingram said, adding that players there may not get the national or international coverage they deserve. “So I’ve been not talked about a lot, I’ve been injured a little bit so you know, I’ve been forgotten a little bit.
“I feel like coming to Toronto, I have a good chance to sprout a little bit.”
Ingram has spent the last six years of his career in the Big Easy suiting up for the Pelicans. He initially joined the team via a blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers ahead of the 2019-20 season, and it seems the big city lifestyle that came with being drafted to Los Angeles is still something he misses.
When asked what he likes about Toronto — other than the chance to play on a national stage and get back to the light that didn’t shine in New Orleans — Ingram mentioned that he’s a big fan of Toronto’s culture, food, people and, more than anything, the fast pace.
“It’s different from New Orleans,” Ingram said.
Of course, a fit with the city and its culture goes a long way, but a fit on the floor is just as important.
Ingram doesn’t think there will be much of an issue slotting in alongside RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes — all of whom he called high-IQ players and the types of guys he likes to play alongside. He also pointed out that he likes that they’re all a bit goofy and like to have fun, which is the sort of culture he is excited to join in on.
The 27-year-old highlighted Quickley in particular, who he said has a “pop to him, a swag,” that he hopes to continue to encourage and cultivate on the court.
In all, Ingram sees the trade and extension with Toronto as being mutually beneficial. As a player who averaged 5.2 assists per game in his six years with the Pelicans, he believes that the ball-movement-heavy system shouldn’t be a problem for him to slip into, and all the unselfishness will likely be a big boon for a player hoping to recapture his form.
“The first thing that I heard was that they want to make me an All-Star again,” Ingram said when asked how he and the Raptors will adjust to one another. “I’m gonna be a big part of what they do going forward. I wanna come here and learn, come here and be a sponge. Shift the culture, make it a winning culture.”
It will still be some time before Ingram suits up for Toronto, as the forward is currently dealing with an ankle injury that neither the team nor the player has put a timeline on.
He did clarify that he’s ramping up his workload and building towards returning every passing day, but the good news for the Raptors is that they have time. Under contract for at least the next two years, the organization has no pressure to rush him back.
For now, Ingram is excited about settling into a team surrounded by players he likes and who want to support him, and he is looking forward to finding his footing in a city that he says he marks whenever the NBA’s calendar comes out.
Not a bad place for a fresh start.
