Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players most likely to be traded in 2018-19

3. Brandon Ingram

I know you don’t want to hear it, but before you start angrily tweeting me or rabbling in the comments section, consider the scenario I’m about to lay out for you.

Let’s say it gets to February, which happens to house the 2019 NBA trade deadline. The Toronto Raptors haven’t been as great as they were hoping, and Kawhi Leonard has made it clear he’s not interested in re-signing. The Lakers are still one piece away from truly contending, and Magic Johnson is looking for that trade to make it happen.

Masai Ujiri gives Magic a call and says, “We know Kawhi wants to be in L.A. Make it worth my while to get him there.”

Now we have to consider that the Raptors gave up DeMar DeRozen to get Leonard. They’re not going to give the Klaw away — they’ll be expecting solid compensation in return. While parting with Ingram would be a painful move for the Lake Show, there’s no one who can make a legitimate argument that Ingram is better Leonard.

It’s an upgrade, without a doubt. Extra pieces will need to be thrown in to make the financials work, but that’s where the Lakers’ stockpile of one-year deals comes into play. They package Ingram, a couple of veterans and maybe a draft pick for Leonard, who punches his early ticket to Hollywood instead of having to wait until the offseason.

Meanwhile, the Lakers get the guy they want. Trading for Leonard extinguishes the possibility of him pulling a Paul George, and gets him to Los Angeles just in time to join LeBron in his quest for yet another NBA Finals appearance. It’s a bold move, but swapping Ingram for Leonard is a win. Lakers fans may not want to hear it, but it is what it is.

With all of this said, it is circumstantial. The right situation would need to arise for the Lakers to trade Ingram, who Magic will be very hesitant to part with considering his sky-high ceiling.