The Utah Jazz once had their sights set on Brandon Ingram. However, a trade never got off the ground because Ingram refused to commit to the Jazz long-term. It's already been discussed why Ingram may come to regret that, but the bottom line is that he's not the Jazz's problem.
Nope, instead, he's the Toronto Raptors' problem. There were rumors that the Raptors wanted Ingram, and now he's theirs. In fact, he's theirs for the foreseeable future, as he's now locked in for the next three years after this season.
Breaking: New Raptors star Brandon Ingram has agreed to a three-year, $120M contract extension with the franchise, including a player option in 2027-28, his agents told @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/tE1IDHSyk5
— ESPN (@espn) February 11, 2025
So Ingram didn't want Utah, but he wanted Toronto. To teach his own, for sure, but Utah shouldn't be too insulted by this
1. Ingram may have hurt their lottery odds
Ingram's good. There's no doubt in that at all. He can absolutely play at an All-Star level when he's got a clean bill of health. That may have been the last thing the Jazz needed on the team.
This has been an intense year of tanking because the 2025 NBA Draft class is expected to be loaded beyond just Cooper Flagg. In other words, if there was one year where the Jazz couldn't afford to mess around, it was this one.
If Ingram had been healthy, he would have made the Jazz better. In fact, good enough to the point that this season could have been a redux of the last two seasons that have frsutrated and confused the fanbase.
It wouldn't have mattered if he had come cheap. That wouldn't have justified screwing themselves out of a high lottery pick when there are quite a few can't-miss prospects.
2. Ingram may have been too expensive for the risk
As evidenced by his newest extension, Ingram would not have stayed at a discount no matter where he went. That's all well and good, but anyone familiar with Ingram's game knows he is an injury waiting to happen.
For as good as Ingram is, he's never been one to play a whole season. He's almost always been out for an extensive period at least once a season to nurse an injury. It would be great if he could beat that, but he never really has nearly a decade into his NBA career.
That could have been a problem for the Jazz if they were paying a good price for someone who can't consistently be on the court. Sure, that would have helped with their tankings odds, but it would have made such a trade pointless.
3. Ingram on Toronto takes out a tanking competitor
The Raptors have been right there with the Jazz this season in terms of tanking. Acquiring Ingram raises their ceiling enough that it's not too farfetched to believe that they won't be right there with the Jazz for the rest of the season.
Sure, the Jazz would be right up there regardless of where Ingram went, but being on Toronto will likely further ensure their odds of getting their next face of the franchise in the draft. They'll take whatever they can get.
The Raptors may be trying to have their cake and eat it by getting Ingram and a high lottery pick. That's not the dumbest strategy, but adding Ingram likely ensure they don't get the best of the best, though the lottery has a nasty habit of forming some surprises.
In a season where even if they haven't won a lot of games, things have still mostly gone right for the Jazz. The Raptors getting Ingram is quite the twist for them, but it's a twist that they'll be more than happy to accept.