Lakers Rumors: Three reasons why it’s time to trade Brandon Ingram

1. Kyle Kuzma can produce more right now

At the end of the day, Brandon Ingram has the potential to go down with a better legacy than Kyle Kuzma. On the surface, Ingram should and still does have a higher ceiling than the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, as it stands right now in October of 2017, Kuzma gives the Lakers more production in a starting role than Ingram does.

Heck, Kuzma has been surprising everyone this preseason. Should this strong play continue, he may continue to surprise us and have a better all-around career than Ingram.

The problem for the Lakers is there is no clear path to the starting five for Kuzma. The natural power forward is blocked by Julius Randle, with Larry Nance Jr. even needing minutes to progress. Because of this, Kuzma was moved over to the small forward position to back up Ingram and split quality minutes off of the bench at both forward positions.

At the end of the day, it may be better for Kuzma to start on the bench for the Lakers. However, that does not mean that Kuzma would not be a good starting option should the Lakers part ways with Ingram.

Before the NBA Draft, this move would have been impossible to do. Unless the team acquired a star small forward in the deal, the position would have been a wasteland. With no first-round pick in next year’s draft, there is no point for the Lakers to tank with Luol Deng at small forward.

Now, the Lakers have a viable candidate to succeed Ingram at the small forward spot. Not only will Kuzma fill the hole left behind, he will outplay Ingram next season.