Los Angeles Lakers: Brandon Ingram’s shooting key for superstardom
Entering year two, Brandon Ingram will have to show that he can shoot the ball for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers will view the 2017-18 as a season to develop from within.
With no first round pick this season, there’s no tanking for a pick in the second half of the year, there’s no college basketball watching and there are no hoping ping-pong balls fall their way in June’s draft lottery. After five seasons of collecting young players, this season will be vital for Los Angeles’ 2018 free agency hopes and future.
There are areas for improvement among the team’s young players. Julius Randle’s defensive ability wanes throughout the season, Larry Nance Jr. is a consistent shot away from becoming a low-level two-way player and Ivica Zubac’s rim protection leaves a lot to be desired. All 82 games should be built on improving weakness and seeing which players are long-term assets.
The biggest weakness that needs to be improved among the Lakers’ young core is Brandon Ingram and consistent long range shooting.
The upside of Ingram was based on his ability to defend multiple positions on one end and knock down threes on the other. At 6’9″ with a wingspan over 7’0″, Ingram flashed the ability to bother and pester ball-handlers this past season. The issue, however, was that his once clean jumper betrayed him this past season, resulting in Ingram shooting just 29 percent from beyond the arc.
When evaluating draft prospects, one area to determine a prospect’s ability to shoot is his free throw percentage. It’s rather simple: If one can knock down a free throw with consistency, he has some level of range, giving a prospect a slight chance on whether he’d be able to shoot.
Ingram, despite converting 41 percent of his threes in his lone season at Duke, finished with an uninspiring 68 percent from beyond the line.
So even as he was projected to be a two-way threat in his prime, Ingram always had questions about his shooting ability and his 62 percent free throw shooting as a rookie only compounded the concerns. Even with Ingram’s ability to defend and his surprising ability to create off the dribble, an inability to shoot would considerably decrease his ability to become a superstar in today’s NBA.
The first part of the improvement is Ingram merely getting more shots. Players improve their shooting from year one to year two, merely because they get more training with professionals. One area where Ingram struggled was as a pull-up shooter. Last season, Ingram knocked down just 33 percent of his pull-up attempts and only 27 percent from three, via NBA.com.
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Those numbers are below-average and hurt Los Angeles because one area Ingram surprised was as a ball-handler. Ingram looked spry and effective in the pick-and-roll this as a rookie. Think Damian Lillard or Stephen Curry — that quick pull-up jumper off a high pick-and-roll is so valuable. Now imagine a six-foot-nine forward doing it. Ingram becoming a decent shooter from that area would be valuable from Los Angeles’ offense, thanks to the added gravity.
The second is having someone who can properly get him the ball. Last season, Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell shared the point guard duties. However, both appeared to be more of combo guards and Russell has now been shipped off to the Brooklyn Nets.
Enter 2017 second overall pick Lonzo Ball. In NBA Summer League, the most intriguing thing about Ball’s play is that the ball — no pun intended — never stopped moving. If he collects a rebound, he’s moving the ball up the floor within seconds. If he gets it in transition, he’s moving it within a few dribbles. Those point guards are always valuable because usually, that results in better shots and rarely, it becomes infectious for players to move the ball.
Ball’s outlier vision should result in Ingram getting some better catch-and-shoot attempts. Last season, Ingram shot 36 percent on catch-and-shoot attempts, according to NBA.com. Those numbers are expected to increase with Ball as the primary point guard, due to getting better shot attempts.
Before we envision the Los Angeles Lakers getting Paul George or anyone in 2018 free agency, they’ll have a chance to truly figure out what pieces they have and whether anyone can become a superstar. Magic Johnson believes that both Ball and Ingram can become those guys. Ball’s combination of vision, playmaking and shooting are there, while Ingram has the two-way ability to get there one day.
For Ingram to truly live up to his potential, this season will be big for him to show that his shooting ability is fluid. The two years of data between Duke and the pros have suggested that he’s not a safe bet to become an elite shooter. Yet, there’s hope for him to be great. If Ingram can take a step forward as a shooter, then he’ll continue to be on track for superstardom.
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If the numbers remain in the same area, then the Los Angeles Lakers will be entering the offseason wondering if he’s more of a potential trade piece rather than a pillar for the future.