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Over a year after the Anthony Davis trade to the Los Angeles Lakers trade, both teams appear to be happy. The Lakers got a superstar while the New Orleans Pelicans got some exciting young pieces. The best part of the trade for New Orleans has been the emergence of Brandon Ingram, who was named an All-Star and the NBA’s Most Improved Player this season.
You could see the signs that Ingram had a ton of potential but he kept running into injury issues. After seeing how well he played this year, the Lakers are probably wishing they had figured out a way keep him but Davis playing at an MVP-level definitely softens the blow.
Though it’s easy for players to hold some animosity for the teams that traded them, Ingram doesn’t hold any ill-will and also made it clear how he feels about the Lakers fan base.
“I think it’s love from each end, because if it was a bad remark or a negative remark, maybe go back, retune something and get better at it,” Ingram said, per Kyle Goon of the OC Register. “If it was a good remark, then I thank them for knowing the game of basketball and the person that I am, and that I was gonna get better. So it’s all love from each side. I still got love for the Laker fans, I still got love for the Duke fans.
“… And I got hella love for everybody in New Orleans.”
Ingram has always been one of the more laid back stars in the NBA and it looks like he hasn’t changed despite becoming an All-Star.
Ingram Talks Blocking out the Media
Coming to Los Angeles as the future face of the Lakers can’t be easy for any young player to go through. Ingram isn’t a media darling and probably never will be but being in New Orleans makes it easier to block the media out.
“It’s always been easy, but it’s way easier now that I’ve been through the Laker part – been through that media and stuff,” Ingram said. “It was easy before, but it’s way easier now just to block everything out.”
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Would Ingram Return to Los Angeles?
After his impressive season, there’s no doubt a lot of fans would like to see Ingram come home. Anything is possible down the road but it’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Ingram is set to be a restricted free agent this year. There’s no way the Pelicans are letting him go anywhere and he’s set for a really big payday. Ingram and Zion Williamson and have the potential to form the NBA’s next big duo.
At barely 23 years old, Ingram has a lot of NBA years left in him. He likely stays in New Orleans for several more year but perhaps he takes another look at the Lakers after LeBron James is retired. Los Angeles probably wouldn’t mind having him back in 2025 or so.
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