Duke Blue Devils: Ingram to Lakers looking more likely
Duke Blue Devils forward Brandon Ingram’s fate in the NBA Draft will likely be determined by the actions of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Duke Blue Devils one and done freshman Brandon Ingram is a consensus top two player in the NBA Draft pool. He enters predraft workouts with a likely destination of either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Los Angeles Lakers. Unlike Ben Simmons of LSU, Ingram is a wing at the pro level. His 197 pound frame just isn’t big enough to play the four spot right now.
Therefore Ingram’s fate relies on the team needs of the Philadelphia 76ers. If the 76ers were to stay pat between now and the NBA Draft, then Ingram would make arguably more sense than Simmons given that the 76ers would have Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and probably Dario Saric onboard for next season.
Yet the word out of Philadelphia has been one deal or another. Maybe they will ship Okafor to Boston for the third pick. Maybe they would ship Noel to Atlanta for Jeff Teague, a deal that started heating up yesterday. The amount of smoke suggests that Philadelphia is not staying put. That would land Ingram with the Los Angeles Lakers at number two.
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The Lakers are a popular destination for the history of the team, the great players who have been there, and the setting near Hollywood. Kobe Bryant just departed Los Angeles for retirement. He left a young team for Luke Walton to lead. There is D’Angelo Russell, Kentucky product Julius Randle, surprise Jordan Clarkson, and room at the small forward position.
That spot would be a natural place for Ingram to land. He would instantly give the position more credibility on defense than it currently enjoys. Ingram is also the kind of shooter that Walton could work with and develop. After all, Walton has spending his time with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Harrison Barnes.
Next: Why So Much Okafor Smoke?
So if Ingram falls from the top spot, do not cry for Brandon. He will be landing in a good position with relatively little pressure since the whole team is so young. He will get to be part of the story of how the Lakers won the West, again.