Expectations for the Los Angeles Lakers this upcoming season are generally low. An extremely young team being led by a first-time head coach, many will focus on the development of the young players such as D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram as opposed to wins and losses.
In fact, head coach Luke Walton has specifically spoken about this season being more about development and laying the foundation, and the rookie Ingram seemingly agrees with that assessment.
In an interview with Mark Medina of the LA Daily News, Ingram spoke about the expectations for the Lakers and believes developing chemistry and progressing throughout the season will be what makes it a successful one:
“We know we’re not going to go out and win 50 games this year and develop that chemistry right away,” Ingram said. “We know it’s a process. We have a new coach. We’ll have to continue to work hard each and every day. Hard work, developing chemistry, having good teammates and a good locker room, I think that’s what a successful season is.”
When it comes to his personal goals, Ingram made it clear that he hopes to win the Rookie of the Year award. But he knows this will be a tough ride through his first season:
“Just trying to make it the best season I can and develop mental toughness,” Ingram said. “I know there’s going to be bumps in the road. There’s a lot of guys out here that are going to want to beat me up. There are a lot of veterans out here. I just have to fight through it and be the best player I can be on the court.”
Ingram has a ton of potential and he showed some flashes of that in Summer League. It may take some time, but as long as he can develop and get better as the season goes on, the year will be a successful one for Ingram.
The same goes for the Lakers as a whole. With one of the toughest schedules in the league, this young team will likely struggle to get wins consistently, but development and laying the foundation will ultimately help this team in the future.