Lakers Roundtable: Is it worth trading Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard?

Jamaal’s take:

Is it worth trading Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard???

YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!! If I could write the word yes 200 times I would. This is a no-brainer, Kawhi Leonard is a former NBA Finals MVP, two-time All-NBA, three-time All-Defensive and two-time NBA defensive player of the year.

Leonard is a top-five NBA player when healthy (that’s big this year when he’s played only nine games this season). Two seasons ago he hit 44 percent from three point land and was second in MVP voting. At 27 Leonard is in the prime of his NBA career and his peak is still a few years away.

Right now Brandon Ingram is still just potential; a talented player with tremendous skills who has gone up a level in just his second year, nearly doubling his scoring average from nine to 16 points this year. With an average playing time of just five extra minutes this year, he has increased is totals in almost every category imaginable.

His potential is great but bringing in a player or Leonard’s caliber changes the dynamic of the Lakers and the perception in the NBA. Instead of a team full of young “what if” players they now have a player who can be a force and will be attractive to play with. The Lakers go from potential to a contender automatically with Leonard on the team, that’s why you trade for him.