All kinds of attention is being paid to the ongoing Anthony Davis saga, with the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly pulling away from the table in discussions with the New Orleans Pelicans. While there may be a few more twists and turns between now and the trade deadline on Thursday, there are other factors in play in any trade discussion, including the other players that are potentially involved in deals.
One such player is Lakers youngster Brandon Ingram, who is often mentioned alongside teammates Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball as potential centerpieces in a Davis deal. On Tuesday evening, an example of the sometimes unfortunate attention paid to players as trade assets came to fruition, when fans of the Indiana Pacers elected to serenade Ingram with chants.
In this case, they centered on the concept that Ingram’s most prominent teammate, LeBron James, might be working behind the scenes to facilitate a deal.
Pacers fans chanting "LeBron's gonna trade you" at Brandon Ingram 💀 https://t.co/iE5c7DL9IP
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) February 6, 2019
This isn’t something that is overly stunning in the grand scheme, as opposing fans are often creative in trying to get under the skin of players while they are on the floor. Still, this one particularly hits home, as the Pelicans are sitting Davis in advance of a potential trade and things are getting real as the hours tick away before the 3:00 p.m. ET deadline on Feb. 7.
Ingram and his teammates almost certainly hear the outside noise and, in some ways, it’s just part of the job at this level. That doesn’t make it any more enjoyable for players involved in trade rumors, though, and it may not end when the deadline passes, with or without a deal being consummated.
