Starting Small Forward: Brandon Ingram
Brandon Ingram struggled in his rookie season. He did improve in the second half once the Lakers committed to their youth movement, which was encouraging. The Lakers are hoping that carries over to this season as they are committed to Ingram at small forward.
This offseason the Lakers fielded plenty of calls on Ingram. The Indiana Pacers wanted him in a deal for Paul George and the Lakers didn’t budge. Ingram has a high ceiling and a long way to get there, but the talent and worth ethic are there to accomplish it.
Ingram hit the gym hard this summer. He improved his jump shot, revamped his diet and committed himself to having a more well-rounded game offensively. We saw glimpses of it during his Las Vegas Summer League appearance but didn’t see it as much in the preseason.
Ingram will benefit this season from playing exclusively at small forward. Last season he was used at times as the backup point guard, which probably put too much on the rookie’s plate. With his focus solely on small forward, he should be more comfortable on the court.
Ingram is a building block for the Lakers. He will be given every opportunity to succeed this season as Los Angeles hopes he takes the next step in his development and is someone that max free agents will want to play with.