Los Angeles Lakers: Hot takes on futures of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma

Brandon Ingram

The Hot Take:

By the time the 2020-21 season has begun, Brandon Ingram will be considered one of the 10 best players in the NBA.

The Reasoning:

We’ve all seen the flashes. Those quick glimpses of greatness that forced Magic Johnson to make Ingram “untouchable” last offseason. There’s a reason he was the No. 2 overall pick in 2016, and it’s not just because of his eerie resemblance to Kevin Durant coming out of Texas.

At some point in the next two seasons, Ingram is going to enjoy a breakout of epic proportions.

Ingram’s offense has already undergone significant improvement through his first two seasons. His true shooting percentage increased from 47.4 percent to 53.6, while his efficiency from 3-point range increased by nearly 10 percent. He excelled in iso situations, and displayed much more confidence when creating his own shots.

On top of that, his passing and defense also improved during his sophomore season. We started to see him use his length more effectively, allowing him to excel as a rebounder and shot disruptor. In less than two years, Ingram has developed into one of the best young two-way wings in the business.

Well, when the 2020-21 season tips off, Ingram will finally be the superstar he was drafted to be, assuming he continues to grow at his current pace. The Lakers will have watched him evolve into a dynamic wing talent, capable of taking games over, shutting down other offensive powerhouses, and sinking the clutch shot (like this one) to give Los Angeles the win.