Lake Show Life
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Los Angeles Lakers’ best candidates for each NBA Award

By Cameron Salce

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: LeBron James #23 Of Team LeBron speaks after receiving the MVP award during the NBA All-Star Game as a part of 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend at STAPLES Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 18: LeBron James #23 Of Team LeBron speaks after receiving the MVP award during the NBA All-Star Game as a part of 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend at STAPLES Center on February 18, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
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Most Improved Player: Brandon Ingram

The entire Lakers young core has the potential to improve dramatically next season because LeBron inherently makes everyone he plays with better. Brandon Ingram is the player that can seemingly learn the most from James because they play similar point forward styles and is the best bet to become James’ top sidekick next season and in the future.

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Ingram has some of the most untapped potential in the entire NBA on both ends of the floor and he has yet to come close to reaching his ceiling. That is why he is a good candidate to become the most improved player in the NBA next season.

As the No. 2 pick in the draft in the 2016 NBA Draft, he disappointed big time in his rookie season. He was one of the worst players in terms of PER in the entire league. Last season, he was much improved, but he was still far from being an All-Star caliber player that is expected out of lottery picks taken at the top of the draft.

Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo are two late bloomers that Ingram has been compared to, and they won this award at similar points in their careers. Hopefully, Ingram follows the same career arc.

Because of his down rookie season, he still has somewhat of a negative connotation surrounding his name around the league. But, if he can build off his improvement from last season and develop closer into an elite level player, then he will definitely be apart of the most improved player of the year discussion.

Looking at the Lakers roster, they lack a clear-cut second star that James has had to support him in the past. If Ingram develops quicker than expected and becomes that guy next season, then he will be the one holding up the most improved player of the trophy at the NBA awards show.

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