Even though Los Angeles Lakers forward Brandon Ingram has work to do this summer, he currently holds more promise than anyone else on the roster.
When the Los Angeles Lakers are examined, the team sharply contrasts what fans are accustomed to seeing. During the 2016-2017 campaign, the purple-and-gold were without a true superstar for the first time in ages after Kobe Bryant retired for good.
The organization went through a similarly tough stretch in the early 1990s after Earvin “Magic” Johnson publicly declared he had HIV and retired. It was without a doubt one of the darkest stretches the team has ever had to endure.
The squad did win a few more games this time around in comparison to the 2015-2016 season. In spite of that, the primarily young Lakers underperformed for most of the year. After starting the year with a respectable 10-10 record, the wins did not pile up the rest of the way.
As a result, the team did not make the postseason for the fourth time in a row. This happens to be the longest hiatus in team history. Words such as hiatus have never been linked with the storied organization, but it is a reality that cannot be extinguished.
For reasons along these lines, having faith in the organization seems difficult. Yes, the Lakers possess the rights to the second overall pick in the NBA draft yet again. However, the transition from college ball to professional ball is rather staggering.
At the NBA level there are more minutes per game and the sheer pace itself is exceedingly higher. Consequently, whoever is selected in the draft cannot be truly scrutinized until this coming autumn.
Given that truth, looking at the pieces the team does have right now is the more logical path to take. Strong cases could be made that Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and even Ivica Zubac are set to be the future faces of the franchise.
No one on this Lakers team is more essential to the puzzle than small forward Brandon Ingram, though.
At a listed 190 pounds it is widely recognized that the young man needs to bulk up. Doing so will make it simpler for him to drive into the lane with fearless aggression and absorb any contact.
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Matters like that cannot change overnight. Adding layers of muscle takes a plethora of dedication and hard work.
Even supposing his wiry frame, Ingram showed signs of improvement in the second half of the year for the Lakers. For example, in 16 of his last 17 games he tallied double digits in the points realm.
Such performances were far more indicative of the Duke rendition of Ingram. In his lone year playing college hoops, the lanky ballplayer averaged 17.3 points per game.
Now, to some degree, statistics such as the points may seem overrated in scope. Ingram shot the ball well under the 40 percent plateau on many occasions for Los Angeles. By basketball standards, that is not glaringly pretty to get a load of.
One feature about Ingram that stands out from last year is his ability to take care of the ball. In just a little less than 29 minutes a game last year he posted 1.5 turnovers a game. In slightly less playing time each night, players like Russell actually accumulated more.
What was noticeable about the ballplayer as time went on, too, was an elevation in his overall confidence. In the early stages of his rookie year he shot the ball with hesitancy at times. As he got more used to the NBA, the forward played more freely and the ball started finding its way through the net.
If there is one aspect about Brandon that is undeniable, it is his defense. Granted he was inconsistent offensively in his first stint with the Lakers, his impact on the other side of the court was felt.
On account of that aforementioned long, wiry build the 19-year-old demonstrated an uncanny ability to alter shots. Additionally, number 14 also used his length to get into passing lanes many a time.
Going into the fall Ingram certainly needs to put on a few pounds. Moreover, he needs to continue to work on his shot to thereby increase his efficiency ratings.
Let alone what is tangible on the court, Brandon has also exemplified promise in another area as well.
In his rookie year in L.A., Ingram continually said all the right things to the media, while he is reserved overall. He kept emphasizing his desire to get better and help the Lakers win. Later in the year all of that started to come together.
Rookies can sometimes have a bit of an ego and intuitively think that the world revolves around them. In this specific scenario, quite the contrary is true and it is a promising sign for bleeders of the purple-and-gold to be cognizant of.
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This may appear to be too trivial of an area to focus on, yet the intangibles still make a difference. It is a baby step, yet it is evocative of leadership. Leadership is a definite weakness on this Lakers roster and Brandon proved more and more as time progressed that he can be that guy on a more regular basis.
Do you guys believe Brandon Ingram can be a leader for the Lakers? In conjunction with this, do you all think he can rise to the occasion in 2017-2018? Please feel free to share any opinions in the comment section directly below!