Laker Film Room: Brandon Ingram - Off the Ball

LeBron James signing with the Los Angeles Lakers probably changes the role of Brandon Ingram role more than any other player on the roster.

Last season, with low-usage guards accompanying him on the perimeter, Ingram was asked to have the ball in his hands when his team needed individual shot creation. While he’ll still get plenty of opportunities as the Lakers look to reduce LeBron’s ball-handling responsibilities, this season will almost certainly be a significantly different experience for Ingram than last year.

That’s isn’t a bad thing. Ingram posted an effective field goal percentage of just 41.4 percent out of isolations and pick & rolls last season, and a 56.1 eFG% on everything else, in a league where 52.1 eFG% is the average.

Let’s take a closer look at how Ingram was able to thrive as a scorer last season when he didn’t have the burden of having to create shots for himself and others.

Ingram is due for a significant bump in efficiency this season, as his knack for cutting and filling the wing in transition will be rewarded handsomely by the many high-level passers that the Lakers boast. His 3-point shooting will determine the extent to which he can flourish, as he looks to build upon his 39 percent shooting from beyond the arc last season with a higher volume of attempts. Relatively minor improvements in Ingram’s footwork would go a long way toward achieving that goal, but he’s close.

So while Ingram might be playing a totally new role this year, it’s one he could be set to thrive in for years to come.

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