Among the next batch of star players who are expected to leave the team by ESPN's expert panel, Ingram firmly occupies the C spot. In fact, there is no need to wait for the next batch, Ingram wants to leave this offseason.

After the Pelicans were swept out of the playoffs by the Thunder without mercy, trade rumors about Ingram have not stopped. Ingram still has one final year left on his contract and will become a free agent next summer. And according to all reports, the Pelicans are not willing to give Ingram a $50 million contract extension.

Ingram's expectations have been lowered even further, seeking a 45-50 million contract extension across the league, but no team is willing to give it. It's fair to say that if a team were willing to take over Ingram (provided that he was given a contract extension), he wouldn't be in New Orleans right now.

So now there is a high probability that Ingram will start next season with a final year of contract, and everyone will be happy if he plays well, and if he doesn't play well, he may have to face a significant reduction in his contract next offseason, and there is a high probability that he will not stay with the Pelicans.

With Murray's arrival, Ingram's offensive role in the team is bound to shrink even further. The Pelicans ostensibly say they'll find a way for the four to coexist, but that's easier said than done. The problem the Pelicans are facing now may be that there are too many people playing, but there is never a big brother who takes the lead.

The Pelicans took turns to want Fat Tiger and Yingge to be big brothers, but the two were injured and the other was unstable, and Fat Tiger played a career-high 70 games last season, but was injured again when the playoffs came. Ingram only played 64 games, which is more brittle than the Fat Tiger.

Paying a lot of money to trade Murray proves that the Pelicans are not happy with their previous roster, and I wouldn't be surprised if Murray becomes the Pelicans' top attacker next season. The Pelicans must have really moved the mind of trading Yingge in the offseason, but there is no suitable next family willing to take over.

Ingram's trading value should now be at its lowest point. Last season, he averaged 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in the regular season, and in the playoffs, his stats shrank to 14.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 34.5% from the field and 25% from three-point range.

In four games, Ingram made just 19 of 55 shots. Everyone is saying that Wagner Jr.'s 1-of-15 game is appalling, but Wagner's performance in the first six games can be said to be outstanding. And Ingram's performance of scoring 8 points on 2-of-14 shooting in the fourth game was terrifying enough when he played very average in the first three games.

And Wagner Jr. was able to sign a maximum salary in the offseason entirely because he was still young and his potential began to be tapped. And what about Ingram? He will turn 27 in a few days, and his regular season performance last season was his worst since he came to the Pelicans.

Even at his peak, Ingram's style of play is full of moderation, not up or down, not so top-level and not so bad. He has never shot more than 40% from three-point range in his career, and his shooting percentage has hovered around 46%-49% since coming to the Pelicans.

He's a decent scorer, but there are only a handful of classic battles. He can maintain a certain amount of turnover, but he is often unable to take over the game in key moments, so the Pelicans traded to Mr. Murray at key moments last season.

Ingram's only All-Star selection was four years ago, without making the All-Star team once. His regression is certainly not as big as that of his contemporary, Ben Simmons, but it is also like a boat against the current.

I've long said that Ingram's "chicken ribs" are still in a state of "tasteless food, and it's a pity to discard them". The Pelicans have always had a lot of forward resources, and both Jones and Murphy can be on their own. The better they played, the more awkward Ingram's situation became.

The current situation is that Ingram wants to go, Ingram's fans have long wanted him to go, and the Pelicans don't really want to keep Ingram, but they have to meet again next season.

No matter how much expectations were placed on him when he debuted, the current Ingram is okay.