Official Brandon Ingram Thread

[tsherkin]

isnt that like the new era worst shot? unless you are steph/trae, no one should be shooting a high volume pull up 3s

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Why exactly do we want high volume pull-up 3s?

There are a bunch of guys shooting 38-42% or better on pull-up 3s in volume. There's definitely a threshold where it becomes tolerable. League average on ALL 3s is 35.9%, so if you're shooting that or better, you're at least at league-average. If you're able to rock 37%+ on pull-ups, you become a fairly serious threat to be managed. And because they're 3s and not 2s, that's at least in theory a reasonable trade-off for the efficiency drop-off compared to those long twos.

[Zeno]

isnt that like the new era worst shot? unless you are steph/trae, no one should be shooting a high volume pull up 3s

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Why exactly do we want high volume pull-up 3s?

I think when he says high volume, I think it is relative to others shooting pull up threes not that pull up threes would be high volume relative to other shots. But if you have a player who is efficient at a higher volume of pull up threes than average, it forces the whole defence to adjust and has a dramatic effect on everything on offence.

[StopitLeo]

Thinking about how these guys fit on offense makes me think the top four are do everything types, but I'd focus on emphasizing their best attributes on offense:

Its all theoretical but I think it can work. Basically we are subbing poor creator/finisher and terrible defender (Gradey Dick) with Brandon Ingram. That is crazy upgrade even if Ingram is not the best defender.

I'd be happy for Gradey to focus on being a 3-pt specialist who has some additional ball skills when needed. Just run him off screens all game and let him take catch & shoot 3s. I don't see why he can't be a 40%+ shooter doing that.

[dTox]

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[Tripod]

My hope is that with BI as our top scorer, it just slots everyone else into better roles. Plus, we "should" be able to look for mismatched now.

We know Barnes struggles vs teams with multiple bigs. So in those games, BI and IQ need to be the bigger scorers.

RJ...we know he wants to drive right to the basket. Vs teams where that can he exploited, let him cook.

Vs smaller C's/PF, lots if size to go inside.

Ideally, we "should" be able to swing the ball to the guy who can exploit his mismatch. This season with IQ barely playing, Gradey starting lots, and Davion startinv half our games, we just didn't have many mismatches to go after. If we can get some health next years, we have that.

There will likely be a little "cannibalism" of counting stats among this group as there is only 1 ball. But who cares if the lineup as a whole is more efficient and effective.

Plus as Bobby stated, this is not the finished group. Who we draft could change things. Draft Flagg....could that mean a Barnes trade down the line? Draft Harper, IQ moved? Etc...

But as it stands, nice to add a top scorer who does so in ways that others in our lineup don't. Get at it....next year.

[Wutang_CMB]

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[Zeno]

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I know he is being waived and that is why but PJ’s listed number is the # sign. I would definitely choose that if it were an option. Pound the rock!

[dballislife]

i believe ingram and rj complement each other well on offense...rj is great at driving into the lanes and attacking the rim, and ingram great from perimeter scores a lot from 3 and midrange...and both can pass it and give you good 5 dimes

[AkelaLoneWolf]

He needs to integrate well, the defence of the team needs to magically improve, Scottie needs to be better, RJ needs to be better, IQ needs to be alive, the contract can't be bad, we need a good pick, and so on. If anyone of those doesn't happen, we're on the back foot, by no ones hands but our own.

But let's go to the other scenario, we don't trade for him.

We still need to have lottery luck
We still need to hit on the pick
IQ needs to be healthy, Scottie needs to be better, RJ needs to be better

If that doesn't happen,
Rinse and repeat with the 2026 pick against other tanking team.

You're just transferring one risk to another.

Every team is dealing with the above factors you're listing. Washington, Utah, New Orleans, Nets, etc All at varying %s that aren't all that different.

Having BI locks us into competing though, since you just signed a guy to a max extension that kicks in that year, and you just traded for and extended a guy to what is probably like a 4yr 160mil-ish contract. You can't then turn around and easily trade an RJ or IQ to try and tank, you have too much talent in BI/SB to do that, and WAY too much money. But you sure as hell can if SB is the only major contract on the roster.

All the options have risks for sure, but now you whittle it down to less options overall. If the BI trade is a whiff and we just extended him for 40mil AAV, that contract isn't going anywhere without picks, and then it makes moving the other guys a pretty bad idea, since you will be shackled with a mid team and bad contracts only. Meaning you are too good to tank, but too bad to matter, treadmill hell, and no one wants that.

Without BI, if IQ isn't healthy, SB stays the same, you can still trade RJ and tank. Whether anyone wants that option or not doesn't matter, but it's an option. The BI trade renders that option impossible.

We are not tanking next year regardless of BI trade. Lavine was just traded. Goes to show no contract is untradeable. The point is to build up and be in position to offer value when the next all star or superstar is available(Giannis)

[Scase]

But let's go to the other scenario, we don't trade for him.

We still need to have lottery luck
We still need to hit on the pick
IQ needs to be healthy, Scottie needs to be better, RJ needs to be better

If that doesn't happen,
Rinse and repeat with the 2026 pick against other tanking team.

You're just transferring one risk to another.

Every team is dealing with the above factors you're listing. Washington, Utah, New Orleans, Nets, etc All at varying %s that aren't all that different.

Having BI locks us into competing though, since you just signed a guy to a max extension that kicks in that year, and you just traded for and extended a guy to what is probably like a 4yr 160mil-ish contract. You can't then turn around and easily trade an RJ or IQ to try and tank, you have too much talent in BI/SB to do that, and WAY too much money. But you sure as hell can if SB is the only major contract on the roster.

All the options have risks for sure, but now you whittle it down to less options overall. If the BI trade is a whiff and we just extended him for 40mil AAV, that contract isn't going anywhere without picks, and then it makes moving the other guys a pretty bad idea, since you will be shackled with a mid team and bad contracts only. Meaning you are too good to tank, but too bad to matter, treadmill hell, and no one wants that.

Without BI, if IQ isn't healthy, SB stays the same, you can still trade RJ and tank. Whether anyone wants that option or not doesn't matter, but it's an option. The BI trade renders that option impossible.

We are not tanking next year regardless of BI trade. Lavine was just traded. Goes to show no contract is untradeable. The point is to build up and be in position to offer value when the next all star or superstar is available(Giannis)

Cool, doesn't change anything I said.

[AkelaLoneWolf]

Having BI locks us into competing though, since you just signed a guy to a max extension that kicks in that year, and you just traded for and extended a guy to what is probably like a 4yr 160mil-ish contract. You can't then turn around and easily trade an RJ or IQ to try and tank, you have too much talent in BI/SB to do that, and WAY too much money. But you sure as hell can if SB is the only major contract on the roster.

All the options have risks for sure, but now you whittle it down to less options overall. If the BI trade is a whiff and we just extended him for 40mil AAV, that contract isn't going anywhere without picks, and then it makes moving the other guys a pretty bad idea, since you will be shackled with a mid team and bad contracts only. Meaning you are too good to tank, but too bad to matter, treadmill hell, and no one wants that.

Without BI, if IQ isn't healthy, SB stays the same, you can still trade RJ and tank. Whether anyone wants that option or not doesn't matter, but it's an option. The BI trade renders that option impossible.

We are not tanking next year regardless of BI trade. Lavine was just traded. Goes to show no contract is untradeable. The point is to build up and be in position to offer value when the next all star or superstar is available(Giannis)

Cool, doesn't change anything I said.

No one wants to watch loser ball for the next 5 years. We’re not tanking. Feel free to root for the Jazz if that’s what you’re into

[everdiso]

Next Year

Poeltl 30 ----- Mogbo 24 --- Chomche 20
Barnes 24 ---- Flagg 19
Ingram 28 ---- Agbaji 25 --- Battle 24
Barrett 25 ---- Dick 22 ----- Walter 21
Quickley 26 -- Shead 23

[Sandman88]

We got our demon

[NinjaBro]

The Slim Reefer is going to enjoy Canada for sure. He's going to fit in well here, we just need RJ, IQ, and Barnes to be able to space the floor for him. He had a career year next to Ball, I see IQ having a similar effective on him. CJ and Ingram were a terrible fit together.

Barnes isn't going to be a spacer for him. BUt he should be able to cut around him and use Ingram's spacing to have an easier time on the block. That should help when BI is on the floor. And if Scottie does end up running some PnR and getting into the lane, they'll either be late helping off of BI or they're going to give up 3s to him all game long.

Space isn't going to be an issue. He will have more than he did in New Orleans. Barnes can shoot better than Zion and they'll be able to play off each other well. IQ, Barnes, and even Barrett have good passing chops. The Ingram/Barnes pick and roll should cause a lot of problems for opposing teams. One of the keys will be to have Ingram shoot more three point shots and be a three point shot creator. He ranks 95th perecent in shot creation and offensive load.

https://craftednba.com/players/brandon-ingram

Yup we're a high assist team that likes to move the ball. One thing that we were always missing was that killer bucket maker. We have that now with Ingram. This is a much better team construction than FVV, Siakam and OG. Remember his nick Nurse said in his book that OG hated playing with FVV because he was hogging the back and never passed it? These guys weren't playing for the team they were playing for themselves. The head of the snake that enabled it all was Nurse. Glad they're all gone.

[Tha Cynic]

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Original injury.

Yikes, Dort flopped and caused Ingram a serious injury. Did he get suspended for that flop?

[Tripod]

Think about that Grizzlies game and if we had our 5 and how things "could" be different with us on offense.

We had to force Barnes to try and score vs JJJ to little success. So what happens with this new 5?

Edey on Yak
JJJ...now on BI. BI draws him out of the paint more
Wells now on Barnes. BIG difference that Barnes could exploit backing him down
Kennard on RJ. RJ can now exploit driving. Does help come? Who is open if it dies?
Ja on IQ stays same

Obviously this is just theory, but it shows how having BI and healthy RJ changes things. And it changes matchups to our advantage. Plus having a better scorer go at JJJ vs Barnes going at him is better too.

Hopefully next year we see how they all mesh and how they run the offense better just due to a much better scoring option on the court.

[LoveMyRaps]

Next Year

Poeltl 30 ----- Mogbo 24 --- Chomche 20
Barnes 24 ---- Flagg 19
Ingram 28 ---- Agbaji 25 --- Battle 24
Barrett 25 ---- Dick 22 ----- Walter 21
Quickley 26 -- Shead 23

Brother. Flagg is not coming off the bench.

[Duffman100]

Next Year

Poeltl 30 ----- Mogbo 24 --- Chomche 20
Barnes 24 ---- Flagg 19
Ingram 28 ---- Agbaji 25 --- Battle 24
Barrett 25 ---- Dick 22 ----- Walter 21
Quickley 26 -- Shead 23

The forum would melton down if Flagg came off the bench.

And that minute distribution is way out of whack.

edit: nm it's their ages!

[Wutang_CMB]

https://www.nba.com/raptors/videos/raptors-practice-brandon-ingram-february-7-2025


"scottie is a really good player and he's going to make the game easier for me"

[MiamiSPX]

Next Year

Poeltl 30 ----- Mogbo 24 --- Chomche 20
Barnes 24 ---- Flagg 19
Ingram 28 ---- Agbaji 25 --- Battle 24
Barrett 25 ---- Dick 22 ----- Walter 21
Quickley 26 -- Shead 23

Brother. Flagg is not coming off the bench.

Looking back the last 10 years, the top 2 picks overwhelmingly start right out of the gate. It's usually not even a debate. If we were to land pick #1 or #2, the question becomes who we trade, because Flagg or Harper are absolutely starting.