Report: Raptors Already in Contract Discussions With Brandon Ingram

In case anyone was still wondering if the Toronto Raptors were really serious about adding Brandon Ingram to their young core, we bring you word that the team is already in contract talks with Ingram's camp after the trade to acquire him four days ago.

Toronto GM Bobby Webster said on TSN's First Up that talks are underway.

We’re having [contract] discussions now. We wouldn’t do the deal unless we felt there was a comfort level with what he was looking for, what we were able to offer, an interest level in coming to Toronto. Hopefully we can get something done.

Webster compared the situation to the one a couple of years ago when the team, despite not being in contention, made a trade to acquire big man Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs despite his being on an expiring contract, like Ingram is now.

"It enables us to get the player in the system and for them to get a feel for us, we get a feel for them." The Raptors went on to sign Poeltl to a four-year extension that summer. And he thinks it's no different this time around with Ingram.

"The goal is to have a long-term extension with him.”

Ingram, however, is no longer a New Orleans Pelican because he was demanding a max-level contract extension, of over $260 million for five years. With a career's worth of injuries limiting his ability to stay on the court, and his lone All-Star season being a full 5 years ago, is a negotiation going to go any more smoothly in Toronto than it was going in The Big Easy?

So far, it sounds like Ingram is happy to be with the Raptors, something that wasn't always obvious in recent times in New Orleans. He actually gave up $2.1 million by waiving his trade bonus to help facilitate the deal, so there's that.

Sportsnet's Michael Grange adds, “Reading between the lines and having spoken with some people close to the situation, chances are Ingram’s next deal will more likely be an extension — so three years rather than five — and not necessarily for the full max, with the Raptors having the benefit of the free agent market being a tight one this coming summer.”