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New Orleans Pelicans front office leader David Griffin said that the team's motivation to trade Brandon Ingram was primarily a financial one, but that injuries also played a role in the move. The Pelicans traded Ingram to the Toronto Raptors for Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk ahead of last week's trade deadline.

"We reached a point where financially we weren’t going to be able to keep the group together as we were constructed," Griffin said.

Ingram was seeking a contract extension prior to being traded. With multiple players on large long-term deals, many with their own injury concerns, New Orleans couldn't commit to Ingram on a new deal. Griffin referenced the injuries across the roster as a reason for the trade too.

"We need to get better just in terms of our ability to build a more available roster," Griffin said. "Obviously, that’s something we’ve failed at to this point."

Brown is on an expiring contract, while Olynyk has one-year remaining after this one. However, the Pelicans don't see either player as a short-term addition.

"This is not viewed as a short-term situation with either player in our minds," Griffin said. "We hope, as the season unfolds, they grow to feel the same about us."

Via Brett Martel/AP

When are the going to fix the main issue of their Financial/injury problems - Zion?

ontnut wrote:When are the going to fix the main issue of their Financial/injury problems - Zion?

That's not an easy fix. They either trade him and take the L, waive him and take the L, or keep him in hopes of a few healthy seasons and most likely take the L. Keeping Zion might have the only potential for a positive outcome, but it also prolongs the agony.

You traded Dyson Daniels and picks for DJM.. a guy who can't shoot the damn ball I won't even mention the injury.. just step down dude.

Pickled Prunes wrote:

ontnut wrote:When are the going to fix the main issue of their Financial/injury problems - Zion?

That's not an easy fix. They either trade him and take the L, waive him and take the L, or keep him in hopes of a few healthy seasons and most likely take the L. Keeping Zion might have the only potential for a positive outcome, but it also prolongs the agony.

If they have trade suitors, they need to pull the plug and move on, IMO.

I think they need to move on from Griffin as well.

Rek wrote:

Pickled Prunes wrote:

ontnut wrote:When are the going to fix the main issue of their Financial/injury problems - Zion?

That's not an easy fix. They either trade him and take the L, waive him and take the L, or keep him in hopes of a few healthy seasons and most likely take the L. Keeping Zion might have the only potential for a positive outcome, but it also prolongs the agony.

If they have trade suitors, they need to pull the plug and move on, IMO.

I think they need to move on from Griffin as well.

I agree on both accounts. I never would have hired Griffin and Zion would have been gone on the first day he was eligible to be traded after he signed his extension. There was a game last season where he scored 33pts on 12 FGA's... that was the day I would have traded him.