New Orleans Pelicans: Brandon Ingram is off to the best start of his career

Brandon Ingram is off to the best start of his career because the New Orleans Pelicans are letting him be a ball handler

There is a growing sentiment around the league that Brandon Ingram is finally living up to the expectations of a second overall pick. William Guillory of The Athletic (subscription required) wrote an article this week stating that Ingram is reaching his full potential because he is making the right basketball plays more often.

However, one can argue that Brandon Ingram is off to the best start of his career because the New Orleans Pelicans are letting him use his strengths. Brandon Ingram was known as a player who liked to have the basketball in his hands as he came up through the amateur ranks.

According to DraftExpress, he was the primary ball-handler on 44 percent of his possessions at Duke. Being the primary ball-handler has played a vital role in determining his success as a pro. For instance, former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton allowed him to touch the ball 44.9 times per game during his rookie season.

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The 44.9 touches allowed him to amass 4.8 drives per game. The 4.8 drives created 2.5 points and 0.3 assets per game for the team. This accounted for 26.6 percent of his total points and 14.2 percent of his assists as he averaged 9.4 points with 2.1 assists.

Luke Walton gave Brandon a more prominent offensive role during the following season as he averaged 56.7 touches per game. This is an increase of 11.8 touches per game from the previous season. The 56.7 touches led to a hike in his drives per game as he averaged 10.6 a game. This was an increase of 5.8 drives per game from the previous season.

Ingram proceeded to average 5.8 points and 0.9 assists on these drives. This was an increase of 3.3 points and 0.6 assists per game from the previous season. The combination of these factors helped him average 16.1 points with 3.9 assists per game. This was an increase of 6.7 points and 1.8 assists from the prior year.

Unfortunately, Brandon Ingram encountered a minor roadblock at the start of his third season as the team signed LeBron James during the offseason. LeBron is a player who likes to have the basketball in his hands as he averaged 82.4 touches per game in the 5 seasons before joining Los Angeles.

The presence of LeBron decreased Brandon’s offensive role as he averaged 51.3 touches per game in his first 23 games. Ingram touched the ball 5.4 fewer times a game than the previous season. The reduction in his touches led to a significant drop in his drives per game as he went from 10.6 to 7.9.

Ingram created 4.8 points and 0.7 assists for the team on these drives. This was a decrease of 1 point and 0.2 assists per game. As a consequence of being forced to play off the ball more, Ingram production saw a slight decline as he averaged 15.5 points with 2.2 assists per game.

Brandon’s offensive role changed when LeBron strained his left groin on Christmas Day against the Golden State Warriors. LeBron’s injury allowed Ingram to become one of the primary ball handlers as he averaged 72.6 touches per game. This is an increase of 21.6 touches per game from the previous 23 games.

The 72.6 touches led to a hike in his drives per game as he averaged 13.6 a game. This was an increase of 5.7 drives per game from the previous 23 games.

Ingram proceeded to average 8.8 points and 0.9 assists on these drives. This was an increase of 4 points and 0.2 assists per game from the previous season. The combination of these factors helped him average 19.2 points with 4.1 assists per game. This was an increase of 3.7 points and 1.9 assists from the prior 23 games.

LeBron came back from his groin injury on January 31st which forced Brandon into his previous role as he averaged 59.3 touches per game in his final 12 games. Ingram touched the ball 13.3 fewer times a game than the last 17 games. The reduction in his touches led to a significant drop in his drives per game as he went from 13.6 to 9.3.

Ingram created 7.1 points and 0.7 assists for the team on these drives. This was a decrease of 1.7 points and 0.2 assists per game. The combination of these factors led to a significant increase in his total scoring output and a decrease in his distribution as he averaged 22.3 points with 2.9 assists.

After the season, he was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as a part of a package that allowed the Lakers to acquire Anthony Davis. At first glance, the trade to New Orleans was bad for his career as he was going to play alongside Zion Williamson.

Zion gained a reputation in the amateur ranks as a player who thrives with the ball in his hands. Kevin O’Connor of the Ringer heaped praise upon Zion’s playmaking ability when describing a play he made against the Kentucky Wildcats last season:

"Zion skies over a defender for a rebound, takes the ball up the court, then hits Tre Jones with the bounce pass for a layup. It’s not an exaggeration to say the last player to possess this type of skill with similar physical makeup was Charles Barkley. That’s what makes Williamson such a fascinating fit for the NBA. In today’s positionless league, Williamson could serve as the screener or as the ball handler in the pick-and-roll."

However, Zion suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during preseason which is slated to keep him out until Christmas. Zion’s injury meant a more significant role for Brandon Ingram as he averaged 60.7 touches per game in seven outings this season. This is an increase of 1.4 touches per game from the previous 12 games.

The 60.7 touches led to a hike in his drives per game as he averaged 11.6 a game. This was an increase of 2.3 drives per game from the previous 12 games.

Ingram proceeded to average 11.1 points and 0.6 assists on these drives. This was an increase of 4 points and a decrease of 0.1 assists per game from the previous season. The combination of these factors has helped him average 25.6 points with 4.3 assists per game.

Unfortunately, these numbers should drop upon Zion’s return because he’ll get fewer touches. Therefore, New Orleans should explore trading him in December for a player who is better suited to thrive off the ball ie, Zach LaVine.