Los Angels Lakers roster rumors: Brandon Ingram to start from bench

In a surprise move, the Los Angeles Lakers are not leaning toward giving Brandon Ingram a starting role.

With the Lakers still a young team looking to rebuild, taking Ingram as the second pick overall would easily lead everyone to think that he would take the starting spot in the small forward position.

However, various reports have revealed that Ingram may be starting from the bench as the coaching staff want to ease the rookie in the system.

Walton reportedly revealed that they want things to be taken step by step, saying: "We're not going to throw [Ingram] into the starting lineup right away. We're not going to play him 40 minutes a night. It's going to be a gradual process."

With everything that Ingram brings to the table, his immense length, work ethic and outside shooting, it was initially thought that he would spend a lot of time with players like D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson as they try to create great chemistry. However, it will seem that Luol Deng is still going to get the nod before Ingram.

Deng was sent over as a veteran presence and can also act as a mentor to Ingram as he goes through his first season in the league.

That could be a big reason why Walton would want Ingram to start off the bench. This would give the 19-year-old player a little more leverage to stay fresh and healthy later on in the season, depending on how their campaign unravels.

However, Walton's decision may not be final, as he also believes that Ingram can get the start if he proves to be consistent and earns the role.

In a report by Sports Blog, Walton said that if Ingram is the best player on the court, then he has no problem giving him the starting nod.

With young players in the squad, it should be a very interesting season for the Lakers and fans are now starting to feel positive about where the team's direction is going.