NBA: Brandon Ingram is the only ‘untouchable’ Laker, says Magic Johnson
Los Angeles Lakers’ Brandon Ingram, right, drives past Sacramento Kings’ Arron Afflalo . (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster is undeniably filled with youthful but raw talent at the moment.
The team’s young nucleus certainly brings a ray of promise to the storied franchise, but Laker legend and current team president of basketball operations Earvin “Magic” Johnson is open to trading their core if the right deal comes along.
Well, except for one gangly yet promising forward.
In a recent interview with ESPN, Magic said he considers last year’s number two pick, Brandon Ingram, “untouchable.”
“I would say probably the only player that we would say, hey, we would probably not move is Brandon Ingram,” the player-turned-executive told ESPN Los Angeles in a radio interview.
The blue chip prospect out of Duke started off slow out of the gates during his rookie campaign, but gradually made an impact for the Purple and Gold as the season progressed.
“I think that we’re excited about Brandon, his length, his size, his agility, his athleticism,” Johnson described his 19-year-old potential star.
“And then when you think about, you know, he was a baby coming in, in his first year last season and we see that he really has a high ceiling and we’re excited about what he can possibly turn into,” he added.
Over the course of 79 regular season games, Ingram finished the season with modest averages of 9.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists. With his maiden year out of the way, the lanky wingman is expected to command a bigger role with the team next season.
Meanwhile, more help is expected to come to the Lakers, as they currently hold the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft next month. Khristian Ibarrola/JB
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