Los Angeles Lakers: Player grades for 2019-20 preseason

(Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Centers

Dwight Howard (B) – There were many doubts concerning Dwight Howard going into the preseason. Would he be the same Dwight that the Lakers last had or would there be a change? He may have quieted most of the doubters after his productive preseason.

Dwight went into the games and did what he needed to do. He grabbed rebounds, made the easy shots and was able to disrupt shots around the rim. Hopefully, he translates his game from the preseason into the regular season.

Devontae Cacok (B) – The undrafted rookie definitely impressed in the preseason for the Lakers. Although he is a shorter center listed at 6’7 he is very aggressive as he showed during the preseason.

He was consistently hustling to get rebounds and had two impressive scoring games putting up 16 points in each of them. Cacok could be a good rotation player or that much-needed spark off the bench as the season goes on.

JaVale McGee (B+) – How could we forget JaVale faking an injury and then turning around for a wide-open dunk? That alone may have been the best play of the preseason but McGee’s preseason was filled with many dunks and a lot of rebounds.

There is nothing better than watching a teammate throwing an alley-oop to McGee and him punching the ball through the rim.  He has made his presence known in the frontcourt and I think it is safe to say he is the Lakers starting center.

Schedule