The Los Angeles Lakers are looking at ways to improve even more than they already have since adding LeBron James. According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, the Lakers are holding onto one of their key trade pieces because they have their eyes set on a monster star to bring in to join LeBron to push Los Angeles over the top. That star player is Brandon Ingram and the fact that the Lakers are refusing to trade him or Kyle Kuzma for a minor player speaks wonders for what their longterm goals are.
Lakers and Ingram
At the age of 21, Brandon Ingram is a star of the future for sure.
However, it looks like his future won't be with the Los Angeles Lakers. He is out injured right now and it has shown the Lakers what their future could look like without him. That future doesn't look too grim.
Replacing Brandon Ingram in the lineup is Kyle Kuzma, who has proven to be a bigger star than Ingram is. On the season, Ingram is averaging 15.2 points-per-game and has never hit 25 points in one game yet this season. On the other hand, Kuzma (who stands at 6-foot-nine, just like Ingram) is averaging 23.3 points-per-game since replacing Ingram.
Kyle Kuzma is a more viable star alongside LeBron James than Brandon Ingram -- and that makes Ingram very expendable. Bleacher Report suggests that the Los Angeles Lakers will make Ingram an integral part of their offense alongside LeBron or they will trade him for someone who will.
With Kuzma proving to be a star, the latter looks likely.
The Lakers trade targets
The four players that the Los Angeles Lakers are looking at when it comes to trading Brandon Ingram are all superstars that look to be leaving their respective teams sooner rather than later. They are Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans), CJ McCollum (Portland Trail Blazers) and Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards).
Anthony Davis is not a surprise, as his name has been rumored with the Los Angeles Lakers for a long time now. He would give LeBron James one of the best co-stars in the entire NBA. Bradley Beal was not the Washington Wizards player that some fans thought, but he might be the better teammate than someone like John Wall.
CJ McCollum isn't a name that leaps out, but he is averaging 21.7 points-per-game this season.
There is also the thought that the Los Angeles Lakers could keep Brandon Ingram -- but in that case, they would have to trade guys like Josh Hary or Kyle Kuzma to pull in someone with the talent level of these three players.
