New Orleans Pelicans: 5 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 NBA season

A healthy Ingram

When healthy, Brandon Ingram is one of the best young wings in the league, a potential beast on offense while having all the natural tools to become a gifted defender.

Ingram’s problem over the last two years has not been his play on the court however, it has been his health. Over the last two years he has missed a total of 53 games, the most recent reason being a blood clot in his right arm.

While this type of “injury” is by no means Ingram’s fault, it does raise question marks around his longevity within the league. While the blood clot is reported to not be as severe as the one which prematurely ended Chris Bosh‘s career, it will still need to be monitored closely.

When on the floor though, Ingram has shown improvements each year he has been a professional. His numbers showing a steady increase year-on-year, if he continues to show the same improvement this year he should have this first 20 points per game season.

Last year he averaged 18.3 points, 3.0 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game over 59 starts. For a player of his size Ingram was used regularly in the pick-and-roll as a ball handler last year, posting 198 points over 251 possessions.

With the New Orleans Pelicans however, he should be provided with more transition opportunities while also being able to play on the perimeter more. Only managing to hit on 33 percent of his 3-balls last year was a surprising decline, considering the year before that Ingram hit 40 percent from deep and finished in the 81st percentile.

Being on a new team which will be looking to push the tempo, while playing with both Ball and Josh Hart whom he is familiar with Ingram is set to have a big year.

With his first taste of free agency around the corner he will have a large incentive to prove his worthy of a max contract, by continuing to show growth Ingram can have an impact on the team’s win total while amplifying the feel good factor around New Orleans.

They only caveat is, if he can stay healthy.