5 Brandon Ingram trade destinations if Pelicans split up star duo

3. 76ers can land third star in Brandon Ingram

The Philadelphia 76ers will enter the offseason with roughly $60 million in available cap space and two genuine stars on the roster in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The James Harden trade hasn't tanked Philadelphia's title odds, but with Embiid's health in limbo and the Sixers' second unit dealing with more injuries, the Sixers probably want another star. That has been the driving force behind all of Daryl Morey's decisions to date.

Maxey's efficiency has dipped lately and it's clear the Sixers need another source of halfcourt creation to fully unlock Nick Nurse's offense. The on-ball strides from Maxey have been pronounced, but he's at his best launching deep 3s off the catch and slicing rotating defenses apart with his blistering first step. When defenses can load up against Maxey and force him into tough shots — especially in the non-Embiid minutes — it's a problem.

Ingram would help the Sixers quite a bit on that front. He can create out of pick-and-rolls and offer Philadelphia another source of advantage creation on the wing. At 6-foot-9, Ingram is comfortable in challenging spots on defense. He has the mobility to guard up a position and the length to bottle up even stronger forwards. So, for a team built around a face-up scoring center and a speedy (but small) catch-and-attack guard, Ingram is the ideal fit.

Morey will explore all his options in the offseason. Philadelphia has been loosely connected to Paul George, but let's assume that is little more than wishful thinking. The other star trade candidates around the league — Trae Young, Zion, Donovan Mitchell — aren't exactly clean fits with this Sixers roster. There's a chance Ingram is the best-case scenario outcome for Philadelphia's much-maligned and wearily anticipated summer of cap space.