Brian Windhorst

Half-court, they're having trouble because they just don't have enough offensive players.

It would definitely help if Brandon Ingram was out there and if Brandon Ingram was able to hit some shots because, yes, they've denied him the ball, but no, he is not playing to the level that he should be playing under the circumstance.

Well, that is not the Brandon Ingram that I have known in the playoffs before.

Now, I'm just going to be honest with you.

I would not have given him $120 million when nobody else was bidding.

I thought the Raptors stuck their neck out.

on that contract.

But, and I really didn't like trading for him and pretending at a, the worst sprained ankle in the history of, uh, you know, us Canadian relations, but that's all behind.

That's all water over the bridge.

Um,

He is a guy who is very hard to deal with in playoff settings.

I covered the series that he played with the Pelicans a couple years ago against the Suns, and he's just an absolute load to deal with typically in a half-court set because he's 6'10".

He's essentially Kevin Durant Jr., where you can't deal with him because his shot release is so high and his size is so terrific.

He's a player that you would typically want in a playoff setting because he's a half-court playoff specialist because there's so many things you can do and because he can initiate offense.

You would even figure that with quickly out that he would become even more valuable.

So, you know, in any long playoff series, there's 10 different dramas unfolding.

But there's no doubt he is underachieved, and that has been disappointing, especially because the Raptors invested so much into him.

They basically said, this is going to be Scottie Barnes' running mate forever.

Um, and you know, the thing about the rappers, they've done a really nice job in talent acquisition.

Like that trade, that value of that trade was pretty good.