At the Lakers’ introductory press conference for 2016 draft picks Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac on Tuesday, the No. 2 overall pick was asked about his thoughts on being a starter on Opening Night.
Brandon Ingram plans to reach out to fellow former Duke star Luol Deng. Ingram deferring to coaching staff on who starts
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) July 5, 2016
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Brandon Ingram said he wants to start from a competitive standpoint. But he will adjust either way.
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) July 5, 2016
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The signing of veteran Luol Deng complicated the Lakers’ starting line-up, which seemed to be clear cut prior to free agency. Prior to the Deng signing, many expected D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle to be among the starting line-up.
However, with Deng an unlikely candidate to come off the bench, one of Clarkson, Ingram or Randle will likely be bumped out of the line-up. While Ingram plays the same position as Deng, Clarkson has been seen as the most likely candidate given his projection as a sixth man/combo guard on a competitive team. Meanwhile, Deng had his most success in the second-half of last season as a stretch four, filling in for the injured Chris Bosh.
Clarkson himself has stated that he is open to coming off the bench, so long as he can contribute still.
Regardless of how the starting line-up shakes out, the young core will certainly be given their minutes. Still, it’s refreshing to see the young guys open to whatever role is handed to them.
