Best moments from 2024-25 Raptors season #1: Brandon Ingram traded to the Raptors
This article is a part of a five-part series highlighting the best moments from the 2024-2025 Toronto Raptors season.
It’s only fitting that the best moment from a 30-win season happens off the court. The Raptors didn’t have a season where they were in the zeitgeist of the NBA world, but they did pop their heads out during the trade deadline to make a big move.
The Raptors traded Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, and a 2026 1st round pick (via Indiana) for New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.
Admittedly, it was a confusing move for a team with no intentions of making a play-in or playoff run to finish the season. But the Raptors, as they have in the past, move to the beat of their own drum, not working in conventional ways.
In an act of good faith, Ingram quickly joined the team on their road trip, became acclimated with the Raptors personnel, and promptly followed it up by signing a three-year, $120M contract extension with a player option in his final season.
Ingram didn’t play a single game for the Raptors this season but what he brings on the floor for a team that is starved of offensive creation is unquestionable. He is a potent mid-range scorer, a proficient pick-and-roll ballhandler, a solid catch-and-shoot player, and can play well off of Scottie Barnes, similar to how Pascal Siakam did.
Ultimately, even without playing a game, this was the biggest and most positive thing to happen for the Raptors this season: acquiring an All-Star-level talent without giving up anything significant.
How the rest of Ingram’s tenure in Toronto pans out will be the true test to see whether this was the best moment of the Raptors’ 2024-2025 season. He needs to stay healthy and mesh well with their current nucleus, or, at the very least, play to a level where he recoups his value around the league.
But it’s easy to forget just how talented Ingram is and the potential of the high-level player the Raptors now have long-term.
Enjoy these highlights from last season to get excited for next season.
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