Luke Walton: Marcelo Huertas, Brandon Ingram Stood Out In Lakers First Scrimmage

Corey Hansford
3 Min Read


Training camp is underway for the Los Angeles Lakers, and head coach Luke Walton has been hard at work trying to establish the foundation for this new era of Lakers basketball.

There will be plenty of players battling it out for spots in the rotation. Young players like Brandon Ingram are looking to prove their worth to Walton, while a veteran like Marcelo Huertas is hoping to hold on to his spot in the rotation that he established last season.

The Lakers held their first scrimmage on Wednesday night and apparently things were a little sloppy. A scrimmage two days into camp being sloppy isn’t a surprise as plenty of these players haven’t played together and it will take time for that chemistry to develop. That wasn’t the case for Huertas however, who Walton said almost seemed like another coach on the floor, according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:

This is a good sign for Huertas who will be vying for crucial backup point guard minutes with veteran Jose Calderon. His flashy style made him a favorite amongst fans last season, but he wasn’t the only player to stand out as Walton also singled out rookie Brandon Ingram via Winters:

This is a good sign for Ingram that he is making an impact in different ways. Coming into the draft much of the focus was on his offensive skills, but he is showing that even if he struggles initially on that end, he can make things happen on the other end.

It’s hard to take too much away from a scrimmage, especially one so early in training camp with players who aren’t all comfortable with each other just yet. Nonetheless, guys like Huertas and Ingram making a mark early is a good sign that the Lakers have some serious talent on this roster.

Corey Hansford is the Senior Editor for Lakers Nation, as well as a contributor for Dodger Blue, Rams News Wire, and Raiders News Wire. He is a passionate follower of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and the UFC. He can usually be seen arguing the merits of Kobe Bryant or cursing the decisions of Jerry Jones. He is also a former producer and associate producer for Sirius XM Sports Radio on both the Fantasy Sports Channel and College Sports Nation. Proud graduate of Long Beach Poly High School and The Real HU, Howard University, with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Follow him on all social media outlets at @TheeCoreyH.
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