New Orleans Pelicans veteran guard JJ Redick thinks teammate Brandon Ingram could average a triple-double for a full season, if he really wanted.
Ingram has established himself as one of the Pelicans' best overall playmakers and facilitators in addition to being an elite scorer. He's averaging 5.1 assists, but Redick believes he can post double-digit averages in the three major categories.
Via ESPN's Zach Lowe:
Teammates have noticed Ingram moving the ball earlier, but it hasn't resulted in the leap in assists his opening-night near triple-double against the Toronto Raptors portended.
âThat's what you should average,â JJ Redick, a New Orleans guard, told Ingram after that game.
Redick has been exhorting Ingram since last season that he might average a triple-double, and become a top-10 player.
âI'm not gonna stop until I'm the best,â Ingram once replied.
The 23-year-old has made massive strides since moving from Los Angeles to New Orleans as part of the Anthony Davis trade.
Ingram realized his All-Star potential last season, averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting a career-high 39.1 percent from deep on 6.2 attempts per game.
The Duke product is averaging nearly a full assist higher per game through his first 12 appearances this year. But that 11-assist performance against the Raptors speaks to his combo guard skills in a forward frame.
Perhaps Ingram should take on greater usage. His usage rate has increased only slightly from last season, per Basketball-Reference.com, but it could take a leap over 30 percent for him to truly exert his full influence over the game and have a Russell Westbrook-type impact.
Of course, there is no telling higher usage would result in more winning. But Redick seems to believe Ingram should take over.
The Pelicans are off to a sluggish 5-7 start, so they will need Ingram to ramp his game up even more.
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