5 Under-the-radar Lakers trade targets who can make an immediate impact

3. Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans

Much like Alex Caruso, Brandon Ingram is a player whose roots with the Los Angeles Lakers run deep. Ingram spent the first three seasons of his NBA career with the Lakers before he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in the deal that sent Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.

Five years later, Ingram is widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded wings in the NBA—and may very well be the key to helping the Lakers unlock their potential.

Ingram has averaged upwards of 20.8 points per game in each of the past five seasons. He’s shot upwards of 46.1 percent from the field in each of those seasons, and has maintained a three-point field goal percentage of 38.1 percent or better in three of those five campaigns.

The biggest development in his post-Lakers career, however, has been Ingram’s emergence as one of the top facilitating wings in the Association.

Ingram has averaged 5.2 assists per game during his Pelicans tenure, with that figure jumping to 5.7 over the past three seasons. Among forwards who appeared in at least 60 games in 2023-24, Ingram ranked sixth at that very average of 5.7 assists per contest.

By adding a player who can score with volume, create for others, and shoot efficiently, the Lakers could not only lighten the burden for Davis and LeBron James, but unlock a new level of potential altogether.