Report: Pels' Ingram skips minicamp heading into final year of deal

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram opted not to attend a voluntary minicamp held by Pelicans players in California last week, sources told The Athletic's William Guillory.

Ingram and the recently signed Daniel Theis were the only players who reportedly didn't attend the camp. Pelicans officials believed Ingram would be at the event and that it would be an opportunity for him to get on the court with newly acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, per Guillory.

Ingram posted a clip on Instagram last week of a Houston-area pastor promoting the importance of not staying in "environments where people don't know the true value of you."

Ingram, 27, is heading into the final season of a five-year deal with the club.

After New Orleans was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2024 postseason, Ingram took accountability for his poor play throughout the campaign.

He vowed to improve after his worst statistical season as a member of the Pelicans. The Duke product averaged 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 49% from the field and 35% from deep.

Ingram and the Pelicans want to keep the former All-Star in New Orleans, NBA insider Shams Charania previously reported on "The Pat McAfee Show" in early August.

However, the Pelicans are wary of paying another player near-max money, and Ingram is looking for $45 million to $50 million per year in an extension, Charania added.

New Orleans already has Murray, Zion Williamson, and CJ McCollum inked to long-term extensions worth at least $30 million per season. Sharpshooter Trey Murphy will also be looking to sign an extension as he only has one year left on his rookie deal and will become a restricted free agent next summer.

The Pelicans are scheduled to have their team training camp from Oct. 1-6 in Nashville. New Orleans' season starts on Oct. 23 against the Chicago Bulls.