As exciting and impactful as LeBron James will be for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team and organization’s true ceiling is arguably going to be decided by whether each member of the young core lives up to their potential. As it’s probably Brandon Ingram who holds the most promise, it’s him we should be watching most closely.
If what we saw Sunday evening is any indication of things to come, the Lakers might just be all right. But it starts on the end most don’t watch closely enough: On defense.
Ingram has a lot of what you’d like to see from a defender: Length, athleticism, competitiveness, work ethic and a head for the game.