Los Angeles Lakers: Re-evaluating the four lottery picks during 2014-2017

Why Brandon Ingram was the best selection:

It might be painful to see Brandon Ingram having a breakout all-star season in his first year with the New Orleans Pelicans but it is something that Laker fans simply have to stomach. Ingram had to be included in the trade to get Anthony Davis, which was pivotal for the team’s success, and Ingram likely would not have had the same impact on the Lakers.

Ingram would have been restricted by LeBron James and probably would not have had the same breakout year that he had in New Orleans. Even if the team somehow got the deal done with Kyle Kuzma and more picks instead of Ingram, he would not have done as well with only a portion of the spotlight.

While he never had that breakout all-star year that Laker fans were waiting for, he was always a very solid young forward with a lethal shot and playmaking ability. The potential was always there and the fact that the Lakers flipped him in a deal for a top-seven player is fantastic.

When compared to the rest of the draft, it is hard to make the case for anyone over Brandon Ingram. Jaylen Brown was better earlier in his career but Ingram proved this year he has the higher ceiling, Jamal Murray is solid but is not an all-star (yet) and Domantas Sabonis just broke out this year as well and would have been a huge reach with the second pick.

Pascal Siakam and Malcolm Brogdon are the two sleeper players that have been great but Siakam did not really blossom until the second half last season and Brogdon was the 36th overall pick.