Dwight Howard
Without a doubt the player who has been the biggest surprise and has exceeded all expectations for the Lakers has been Dwight Howard. After the injury to DeMarcus Cousins, many were curious how the signing of Howard would work out for the Lakers.
In his first stint with the Lakers, there were a lot of issues, and he only lasted one season in Los Angeles. Since leaving Houston, Howard has bounced around the league and gained a poor reputation.
However, since his return to Los Angeles, Howard has been a very good teammate and seems to have realized the opportunity given to him by the Lakers. While Howard isn’t the same player he was in his first stint with the Lakers, he has been very efficient coming off the bench and has had a big impact for the second unit.
This season, Howard is averaging 6.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 20 minutes per game. With a 16.25 PER, Howard ranks fifth on the team in that category, which is great for a guy coming off the bench. Even though Howard could arguably be the starter for the Lakers, he has embraced his role off the bench and exceeded all expectations in the first quarter of the season.