5. Brandon Ingram’s development
I know this is the second year running for this particular take, but it’s the first time I have been as high on this player. His whole first season, I was skeptical he could make the leap his talent clearly warranted, but over the course of last season, he convinced me.
It’s like you could see him stretching out and coming into his own, starting to believe he really had it in him. This preseason has shown a continuation of this trend. Despite limited minutes on the floor with LeBron, their partnership looks like it has the potential to bear fruit for the youngster.
The way a player like James opens up the floor for teammates by drawing in defenders should be perfectly suited to Ingram and his ability to slash to the rim. I expect he will be on the receiving end of many highlight-reel-ready passes from LeBron, and I’m hoping that working with King James will help him get to the next level.