The Toronto Raptors believed in Brandon Ingram, trading for him and signing him to a lucrative new contract. Now they are putting him in the best position to succeed, a strategy that is working out great for both Ingram and the Raptors.
Brandon Ingram is not a natural passer and playmaker. That is not to say he cannot fill that role, as he has at many points during his career. In six seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans he averaged 5.2 assists per game, often playing alongside guards who were comfortable deferring to Ingram as the primary creator.
That worked fine for Ingram and the Pelicans, but it never unlocked a ceiling for the team that should have been there given the talent on the roster. It also put them in a difficult space when Zion Williamson was healthy enough to play, as he needed the ball in his hands. That left Ingram to take turns with his star teammate and otherwise just spot up when it wasn't his turn to create a play.
One major concern with Ingram coming to the Raptors was that it would be more of the same. That Ingram needed the ball to excel, but that the combination of Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley would be too many cooks in the kitchen. Instead, head coach Darko Rajakovic has found the right recipe for all of these ingredients to excel.
Brandon Ingram is thriving in his new role
Through 19 games, Ingram is averaging a solid 21.8 points per game, largely in line with his career numbers. Yet his assists per game are down to just 3.7, his lowest in seven years. Has he suddenly forgotten to pass? Or has his role shifted to where he isn't being asked to make plays as often?
It appears to be the latter. Ingram's usage rate is still high, but he is being deployed as a play finisher rather than a play creator. Ingram is just fifth on the team in assists per game, as the Raptors' more egalitarian offense allows everyone to make plays to set up their teammates.
More often than not, it's Ingram being set up. He is serving as the end point for the passes, catching on the move and driving to the rim or pulling up smoothly into his midrange jumper. If the defense properly rotates he is moving the ball along, but he is being put into position where the right player to take the shot is himself.
That is working out splendidly for Ingram thus far, as he is shooting 55 percent from 2-point range, a career-high mark. That is balancing out his cold shooting from 3-point range, as he is hitting only 31.4 percent from beyond the arc. That will balance out; he is hitting only 32 percent on wide-open triples, so as that regresses to the mean his overall shooting will go up.
There are still questions to be asked about this group's true playoff ceiling, about Ingram's defensive fit, about whether the Raptors need to make another trade. For now, however, everything is working splendidly for the 14-5 Toronto Raptors, and Ingram's new role is a major reason why.
He wanted to be on a winning team. That wish has been granted, in large part because he is being set up for success. It has been an excellent start to the season for Ingram and the Raptors.