Clippers intend to keep Brandon Ingram after Kawhi Leonard trade

Brandon Ingram apparently isn’t being acquired merely so the Clippers can trade him again. At least not immediately.

NBA insider Jake Fischer said during a Bleacher Report live stream that he has received no indication Los Angeles is actively exploring another trade involving Ingram. The Clippers are set to acquire the veteran forward from Toronto in the still-pending Kawhi Leonard deal.

“I don’t think that’s anything being discussed at this moment right now,” Fischer said. “Could they potentially do that somewhere this season or further down the line? Certainly. But I’ve been given no indication that the Clippers are actively looking to move Brandon Ingram at this period.”

So, yes, the Clippers could eventually move him. That is also true of nearly everyone in the NBA.

But Ingram has been working out at the Clippers’ facility, according to Fischer, and the expectation remains that the Leonard trade will be completed in its current form.

The delay has more to do with Los Angeles sorting through its front-office structure after the league’s massive sanctions. The Clippers have informed Toronto and the players involved that they aren’t prepared to finalize the deal quite yet.

Ingram, 29, averaged 21.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 77 games last season, earning his second All-Star selection. He may still carry trade value later, but he also happens to be a very good player who could help the Clippers now.

Sometimes the incoming player is more than the next transaction.