Los Angeles Lakers: Players primed to exceed expectations in 2018-19
2. JaVale McGee
For the past couple of months, there’s been a lot of skepticism surrounding JaVale McGee’s role as the Lakers’ starting center. As a career underachiever and goofball, his presence in the starting five left some folks feeling like he was going to be a glaring weakness for this team.
Well, it’s starting to look like that assertion is off the mark.
Why? For one, McGee is a perfect fit for the offense the Lakers are looking to run. As one of the more athletic, energetic centers in the NBA, he’s ideal for running the floor and creating mismatches in the paint. Just look at the Lakers’ first basket of the preseason if you need evidence of this.
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With James on his side, McGee should be afforded plenty of opportunities to shine in the pick-and-roll. He’ll get chances on the break, and as an alley-oop target for his plethora of pass-happy teammates. On top of all of that, he figures to excel as a glass cleaner and put-back specialist.
A lot of folks tend to overlook McGee because of his general classification as the class clown and underachiever. However, as we’ve already seen this preseason, the signs suggest he could emerge as an underrated playmaker for the Lakers in 2018-19. Chances are LeBron’s presence will play a big part in his ascension from NBA obscurity.