NBA Trade Rumors: $158,253,000 scoring forward being shopped on 'priority' by Pelicans 

Currently sitting in last place in the Western Conference, the New Orleans Pelicans have become a key team to watch in the trade market. While multiple players on their roster have popped up in rumors, moving one former All-Star is at the top of their list.

After not being able to work out a contract extension, Brandon Ingram is a player many expect to be dealt. He is in the final year of his $158.2 million deal and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

In their latest batch of NBA intel, ESPN's Bobby Marks and Tim MacMahon touched on Ingram's situation in New Orleans. They cited that finding a trade for him has become the Pelicans' top priority ahead of the February 6th deadline.

"Finding a trade for injured forward Brandon Ingram, a one-time All-Star in a contract year whose extension talks have repeatedly fizzled, is the priority for the Pelicans' front office, sources told ESPN."

Ingram has been out of action for almost a month now after getting injured in a matchup against the OKC Thunder. In the 18 games he's played in, the former No. 2 pick is averaging 22.2 points and 5.2 assists while shooting 37.4% from beyond the arc.

Seeing that Ingram is on an expiring contract, moving him makes the most sense for New Orleans after numerous failed attempts at an extension.

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Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram drew interest from one Western Conference team

As an All-Star caliber player and multi-level scorer, Brandon Ingram could be a nice addition to any competitive team. Recent reports suggest that the Pelicans forward drew interest from another struggling team in the Western Conference.

Over the weekend, the Sacramento Kings made a shocking move by firing head coach Mike Brown. This came less than two years after he won Coach of the Year and helped the franchise end their historic playoff drought.

While reporting on Brown's firing, ESPN's Ramona Shelburne touched on moves the Kings considered before their coaching change. Among the things cited was inquiring about Ingram and other available players around the league.

"The Kings inquired about Chicago's Zach LaVine, New Orleans' Brandon Ingram, Brooklyn's Cam Johnson and Washington's Kyle Kuzma, league sources said.

They looked at smaller moves, 'just to change things up,' as one source put it. They even asked Brown if there were moves to make with the roster or the staff that might help, sources said."

With about six weeks to go until the deadline, the Pelicans still have time to find a suitor for Ingram. His expiring contract limits the type of return they'll get, but it's still better than him walking in free agency for nothing.