The Los Angeles Lakers have lofty expectations for second-year forward Brandon Ingram, perhaps loftier than fans had expected after getting limited run until the very end of the regular season.

General manager Rob Pelinka has seen Ingram's work ethic and offseason dedication take off to another level, he said during an interview on NBA TV via Lakers Nation.

“He's going to be our end of the game playmaker,” Pelinka said. “He's going to have to step up and make big plays on both sides of the ball.”

“Defensive stops, a scorer, and because of Brandon's versatility, Luke Walton will play him at the one, the two, the three and really call of him night in, night out to make those big plays in key moments.”

Pelinka is also expecting to put other rookies aside from No. 2 selection Lonzo Ball right to work, as he expects Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart to play important roles this upcoming season.

Kuzma's aggressiveness, the chip on his shoulder, and his attack mode mentality is something the team is really excited about.

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The former agent turned executive also had some praise for Hart.

“He may not be the most athletic player in the gym or the quickest, but he finds ways to make winning plays,” he said. “This is a young, scrappy and hungry core that we are just really, really excited about.”

Only time will tell if Ingram and this hand-picked rookie class will deliver the desired results for Pelinka and the rest of the front office, now with a newly-shaped starting lineup to boot.