Brandon Ingram appears to have been sparred in the latest round of Los Angeles Lakers trade rumors, as Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Ivica Zubac are who the New Orleans Pelicans reportedly covet in a potential Anthony Davis trade.
Yet, Ingram went out on Tuesday night and played as though he was motivated to give the Lakers ample reason to keep him out of a trade, or because he may have been offended by not being sought after in a blockbuster.
He exploded for 15 points in the second quarter and went on to score a career-high 36 points, albeit in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Included in Ingram’s outburst before halftime was an emphatic dunk over Corey Brewer, who was also called for a blocking foul.
The third-year forward wore an animated expression as he stood over his former teammate. Ingram’s reaction was not meant to be disrespectful, however, but instead indicative of the close relationship he shares with Brewer, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
“I don’t think it was so much me yelling — it was first me getting lost into the game and playing and not thinking about anything,” Ingram told ESPN. “But second, that was like my vet. [Brewer] talked to me about everything. Everything that went on behind the scenes, some of the stuff that you can’t say outside [of the locker room] and in front of everybody else. We called each other ‘The Thin Twins.’ We were both under 190 pounds. That’s my dude. He’s been really, really good to me.”
The Lakers acquired Brewer from the Houston Rockets at the 2017 trade deadline, which was Ingram’s rookie season. Brewer remained with the team until being bought out in February 2018, which paved the way for the veteran to join a team in playoff contention.
Brewer’s presence and impact was championed by Lakers head coach Luke Walton, Ingram and several others on the roster. And for one night, he was repaid for it with a highlight reel of a dunk by Ingram.
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