2. Brandon Ingram
Until his injury, Brandon Ingram had the most intriguing season of any member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017-18. His rookie season left a lot to be desired, but we saw a diverse set of skills in his sophomore year that showed he was everything people thought he’d be as the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Outside of his improved numbers (16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game) Ingram was the primary ball-handler in close games, often bringing the ball up the court and initiating the Lakers’ half-court sets. His length and athleticism make him a walking bucket when attacking the rim and LeBron James being in the mix will open up plenty of matchup advantages for Ingram.
Last season, Ingram was guarded by the opposing team’s best wing defender. That same top defender will now guard LeBron in the half-court, leaving Ingram on an island with a less talented defender. The ball may not be in his hands as much, but his efficiency numbers are in a perfect situation to increase with so much space and offensive talent around him.
His defense has always been a plus part of his game, and I expect him to be the anchor of the defense this season. With the Lakers lacking big men, Ingram may slide to the 5 at times, making them a switch-heavy machine.
As I said before, the per game numbers may not show a massive improvement in the upcoming season. But the game will come much easier to him by playing with LeBron in a spacious offense and going against lesser talented defenders. An All-Star appearance is well out of the picture, but Brandon Ingram is in the perfect situation to build off last season’s positive season and become the next sidekick to LeBron.