NBA: 5 players taking a ‘leap’ in their game at the quarter-mark of the season

Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans

Whether it’s a change of scenery, an improved work ethic, being in the right system, or coalescence of all three, Brandon Ingram looks like the player everyone hoped he would become. Last season with the Lakers, Ingram was faced with stressful circumstances: trying to develop at a reasonable pace while being under the increased scrutiny that comes with playing in a large market and constantly being mentioned in trade rumors.

After Ingram was finally traded to New Orleans, he has started to meet the expectations of being the second overall pick.

Last season in Los Angeles, Ingram faced further criticism for not taking the next step. Some of this was due to the Lakers’ extensive media coverage, but it was mostly legitimate. Between his second and third seasons, Ingram saw decreases in PER, win shares, box plus/minus, net rating, and was increasingly reliant on mid-range jump shots. These decreases were the result of poor shot selection and being marginalized in the Lakers offense. His box-score numbers had improved, but he wasn’t making the team better in the process.

Thus far, Ingram has been one of the few signs of optimism during a bleak season for his new franchise. The Pelicans have played with a severely depleted roster. And, as a result, Ingram and JJ Redick have arguably been the team’s only source of consistent offense. Thankfully for New Orleans, Ingram has done more than anyone anticipated. He is excelling as a primary scoring option, averaging career highs in scoring and offensive efficiency; due to his increased shot volume and accuracy.

In fact, his 42 percent from 3 is in the 84th percentile, even though he’s drastically increased the shot volume. In addition, Ingram is averaging career highs in several advanced stats, notably his assist percentage. Ingram’s AST% (19.9%) ranks in the top three percent among players at his position. By showing capabilities of being a secondary (or tertiary) facilitator, New Orleans became a top-tier offense, even though they are playing with a flawed roster.

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Oddly enough, a caveat with Ingram is that the Pelicans have been outscored when he is on the court. This is primarily due to injuries throughout the rotation, which is forcing players to play out of their position. Specifically, Jrue Holiday, who has played 45 percent of his minutes at SF, and Ingram who has played 66 percent of his minutes at PF. As a result, the team has been awful defensively, allowing 120.2 points per game, which ranks 29th in the league. This has severely skewed on/off numbers, but especially for Ingram.

When the team recovers from the myriad of injuries and players can return to their natural positions, Ingram’s numbers and the team’s record should significantly improve.