Under the new CBA, to keep a star core together, franchises will have no option but to spend absurd amounts of money. Take the case of the New Orleans Pelicans, who have never been in contention to pay luxury tax and their movements in the offseason have gotten a lot more complicated. Under their ranks, they have four starters earning close to or more than $30 million. That has left their future to be uncertain. However, even with the constraints, Trey Murphy III is worth all the money.

The 24-year-old has been a solid contributor to their roster. Apart from his disruptive defense, his floor-stretching capabilities complement the bulldozing Zion Williamson perfectly. Playing hard and tenacious every night, the Pelicans have finally made a decision about his future. According to Shams Charania, he has signed a four-year $112 million rookie contract extension.

The particulars of the contract are also a bit intriguing. Apart from no incentives, Trey Murphy III has also accepted having no player option. It effectively keeps the hooper with the franchise for another five years. From next season onwards, he will earn nearly five times his current salary of $5 million. The increase in his wages, though, means a huge dent in the financials of the Pelicans. It also leaves little to no space for one of their scoring pillars – Brandon Ingram…

The former Laker was in regular talks during the offseason over a possible trade. Eligible for a max extension, his camp is reportedly looking for a deal close to $200M. But with Murphy III’s latest decision, it’s most likely that the Pels won’t be able to offer Ingram his desired deal unless they break their code, and crash through the second apron. That depends on how their core fares this season.

Will Brandon Ingram remain a Pelican after Trey Murphy III’s extension?

Following the extension of his teammate, Brandon Ingram’s future is growing dim. There are only a few ways for the Pels to extend him now. The easiest is to comply with his demands. Eligible for a four-year $208 million extension, it will drive the org beyond the second apron. The punishments of the CBA would mean they are committing to a window where they would expect championships.

So far, BI and the Pelicans have a common understanding. He is going to play out this season as the GM David Griffin clarified both parties’ loyalties. “So I think from a relationship standpoint, we’ve been really clear we’d prefer Brandon stays with us and Brandon’s been pretty clear he prefers to stay with us. At the same time, there is a financial reality to this, and where I think we can go in terms of keeping this group together might not be as far as he and his agency would like us to be able to go,” he revealed.

As explained, the financial complications cramp up the New Orleans side in this case. That brings us to the second option, which will depend on Brandon Ingram and his camp. Since both sides want to remain together, the term ‘sacrifice’ becomes vital here.

The former Laker is making $36 million this year. Any following upgrade with the penalties in mind wouldn’t look as flattering as what he could get on the market. However, if the unit, which has introduced a visionary in Dejounte Murray, does make it work, it could inspire Brandon Ingram to be the first to lead by example. Either the entire group stays put with collective sacrifice, or someone has to commit to the hard goodbyes. The Pelicans, apart from CJ McCollum, are young and ambitious.

If they manage to perform well in the West this season, equipped with a Zion Williamson who’s in the best shape of his life, Ingram, with the hopes of competing for titles, could take a sacrifice. He wouldn’t be the first star to do so, as Jalen Brunson set a supernatural standard, honestly putting his NBA colleagues, who are in a similar situation, under unwanted pressure. But it wouldn’t be wise to do so in the case that New Orleans doesn’t drastically improve this season.

What do you think the future holds for Brandon Ingram? Let us know your views in the comments below.