Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka has revealed the team is planning on handing the playmaking duties late in the game next season to heavily talented versatile forward Brandon Ingram.
Ingram, a 6ft 9in rising star, is capable of playing multiple positions on the basketball court as he can run, as well as handle and dribble the Ball well. The second overall pick of last year's NBA draft has been compared to 6ft 9in 2017 NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant since his arrival in the league.
''He’s gonna be our end of the game playmaker,'' Pelinka revealed in an interview on NBA TV, per Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation.
''He’s gonna have to step up and make big plays on both sides of the ball […] Because of Brandon’s versatility, Luke Walton will play him at the 1, the 2, the 3 and really call on him night in, night out to make those big plays in key moments.''
Lakers coach Luke Walton was assigning Ingram, 19, to the playmaking duties at times last season, mostly when on the court with the team's second unit.
The Lakers are not lacking talent in their backcourt as the team selected promising point guard Lonzo Ball at No. 2 this past draft and signed former Detroit Piston shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell Pope earlier this offseason.
However, the Purple and Gold are eager to take the most out of Ingram's rare talent, who gives the team a chance to choose multiple lineup scenarios to finish the game.
Eager to end the playoffs drought
Former UCLA Bruin Ball wants to immediately taste the NBA playoff basketball as the team is eager to be a participant of next year's postseason.
The Lakers have yet to reach the playoffs since the 2012/2013 season. The 16-time NBA champions have hit a bad stretch of four years without the playoffs -- finishing each year with a losing record -- which resulted in multiple early first round draft picks.
"Trying to make the playoffs. That's the plan, that's what we are working to, so that's definitely the goal for this year," Ball told Long Whitaker of NBA.com, per Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation.
It remains a long shot
It will be a huge ask for the young Laker team to make the playoffs next season as the Western Conference is as tough as ever.
The Lakers would need good and consistent contributions from top talents Ingram and Ball, and from Caldwell-Pope and notable offseason acquisition All Star center Brook Lopez in order to have a shot at making it past the regular season.
"I know the Western Conference is tough, but I think it's doable or I wouldn't say it," Ball added.
