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Just a few days ago, Anthony Davis requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. This news didn't surprise any NBA fans, as Davis wants to be part of a championship caliber roster.
It's been a rough couple of weeks for New Orleans fans, to say the least. First, the non-call in the NFC Championship game that Saints fans blame the outcome on, now this? Davis will be sporting a new uniform before we hear the end of it.
With Davis requesting a trade, instantly speculation began that the Los Angeles Lakers would be a team who could land the dominant power forward.
The Lakers have been connected to Davis this whole season. Before the season started, Davis hired Rich Paul as his agent.
As we all know, Paul is the agent of LeBron James. Since then, rumors of Davis being shipped to Los Angeles grew tremendously. James has already stated earlier this season that it'd be “amazing” to play alongside Davis.
To land a star like Davis, the Lakers are going to have to part ways with a lot of their young core. One of the guys who would likely be shipped is Brandon Ingram.
When it comes to Ingram, fans are on the fence about whether or not it is worth keeping him going forward. Ingram came in the league with comparisons to Kevin Durant, but has not shown enough to warrant a comparison of that magnitude.
Of course, that's not saying he's a bust or a huge disappointment because he isn't Durant. But is it time for the Lakers to give up on Ingram? A change of scenery for both sides could prove to be beneficial—especially if it lands the Lakers Anthony Davis.
The Lakers drafted Ingram with the second overall pick in 2016. As a 19-year-old, they knew there was going to be a thorough process for him to develop. Coming out of Duke, scouts knew it'd be wise for Ingram to bulk up when he hit the NBA.
Ingram is 6-foot-9 with long arms, but weighs just about 190 pounds soaking wet. Strength isn't absolutely necessary in the NBA, but having it is a plus especially when you're the size of Ingram. A combination of strength and other attributes is what can separate a good and great player.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is someone who comes to mind when thinking of players who have transformed their body since joining the NBA. When Giannis was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks, he was probably around 200 pounds.
Now, Giannis is near 250 pounds and is able to utilize his strength along with his length. That is what the Lakers envisioned in Ingram. That hasn't come to fruition though.
In three years with the Lakers, Ingram has averaged 13.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game. There were definitely growing pains in his rookie season.
In 2016, Ingram averaged just 9.4 points, four rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while averaging 28.8 minutes played per game. He also struggled with his shot, shooting 40 percent from the field and 29 percent from three.
His last two seasons have definitely shown improvement. In 2017, Ingram improved his stats across the board. He went up to 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game.
His shooting saw a huge improvement as well with him shooting 47 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. This season, he has been asked to do more especially with the injury to LeBron.
Since LeBron has gone out, Ingram has seen his usage increase from 23.2 percent to 24.6 percent. This season, Ingram is averaging 17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.
After seeing that stat line from a 21-year-old, why would they give up on him already? Because LeBron is there. It is as simple as that. Ingram has big potential, but proven talent—especially someone of LeBron's status—trumps potential in any situation.
With the acquisition of LeBron this past offseason, the development of Ingram was going to have to be put on hold. With his current skill-set, Ingram doesn't fit a LeBron-led offense.
Of course, if you get the decision of either LeBron or Ingram, everyone would choose LeBron in an instant. You can't blame the Lakers for signing arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. But with him signing, that changed the whole course of the Lakers' future.
When you play on a team with LeBron, it is a win-now mentality. There is no time to waste by waiting for players to develop to fit the team around him.
On any team with LeBron, if you're going to play the shooting guard or power forward position, you'll need to consistently be able to stretch the floor. Ingram has struggled this year, shooting just 30 percent from the three-point line.
With LeBron's ability to facilitate and create wide-open shots for teammates, Ingram doesn't fit that scheme right now. The Lakers lack a consistent three-point shooter, as they shoot just 33.5 percent as a team (28th in the NBA).
The Lakers are going to have to be content with giving up on Ingram if they hope to reach contending status soon. Unless Ingram magically turns into Klay Thompson all of a sudden, they can't wait for him to develop at the same time as trying to build a championship roster that wants to win in the near future.
L.A. fans are still holding out hope that Ingram becomes the next big star in the NBA. As hard as it is to say, Lakers fans might need to realize it might be best if the Lakers gave up on Ingram instead of waiting to see if he'll develop into something great.
