Los Angeles Lakers: Sooner or later, Brandon Ingram won’t be in the picture anymore

Can Brandon Ingram actually excel anywhere else in the NBA?

This is where it gets interesting.

Send Ingram to the Hawks, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Pacers, Kings, or somewhere not as flashy as LA and see what he’s really made of. Obviously this benefits the recipient of Ingram, but it’s also something to consider when you think of whether or not he’s actually playing up to his potential or just fitting nicely in the system.

On Dallas, can he step up to be that young explosive talent alongside a different kind of point guard in Dennis Smith Jr. who is also in his rookie year? Would he really excel in Atlanta where they’re in rebuild mode?

Or how about the Grizzlies, who are in need of someone to really step up and take charge of how their season has been going and turn it around? Indiana and Sacramento also pose the same question, and as of right now, I am not sure that Ingram could do it.

Because he’s still trying to get bigger in terms of his frame, him getting stronger is the number one factor to him being a game-changer somewhere else.

Ingram didn’t necessarily live up to the hype in his rookie season, and there are people out there who aren’t sold on him as a sophomore in the NBA, either. And if you’re going to aggressively pursue Paul George anyway, does it really hurt to make one more deal to get the veteran superstar that can complete the culture change?

Next: Making The Case For Trading For Kemba Walker

I think if you’re Magic Johnson, the “untouchable” comments are easy to go back on at this point.