Brandon Ingram is an extremely intriguing player as he brings a lot to the table, but is nowhere near his ultimate potential yet and that has the Los Angeles Lakers extremely excited.
One of the things that stands out most about Ingram is his length. At 6’9 and growing with a 7’3 wingspan, Ingram can make is able to make an impact on both ends of the floor thanks to his lanky frame. It also gives Ingram versatility and the ability to play different positions.
Right now Ingram is listed by most as a small forward, but ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla believes Ingram could ultimately be at his best by playing the ‘stretch-4’ role as he told Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com on The Popcorn Machine podcast:
“I could see down the road, you know 4, 5, 6 years from now where he actually becomes what we call a ‘stretch-4’ […] When I mentioned Brandon’s versatility as he gets strong enough to be able to post up inside, play away from the basket, bring bigger guys away from the basket, I think eventually that’s where he could be really a star.”
Ingram still needs to develop physically and grow into his body, but it is very conceivable that Ingram could play that role in the future. Kevin Durant has shined in recent years in that role and with the NBA now in a more uptempo era, Ingram would fit in perfectly in that position.
Obviously, he wouldn’t be a traditional power forward, but Ingram showed off a pretty effective post-up game during Summer League. With a little more muscle and strength, that could be a serious weapon.
The important thing for Ingram is to continue to develop and get better. He is only 19-years-old, but he will have plenty of opportunities to shine for the Lakers in the coming years. Head coach Luke Walton has said that there will be open competition throughout the roster so Ingram could earn himself a big role early.