3 Los Angeles Lakers exceeding expectations so far

3. Danny Green

Realistically, expectations were already high for Danny Green upon his signing for two years and $30 million.

The Los Angeles Lakers knew they were getting an excellent 3-and-D player with championship experience and a knack for making big plays when it matters most. Well that’s exactly what they’ve gotten. What I don’t think they expected to get was an offensive spark plug who can take over when needed.

That’s the role that Green has filled early this season. Although he’s only averaging 10.6 points per game (fourth-highest on the team), he’s been a dynamic threat from beyond the arch. Just look at his 28-point performance in the season opener, when he connected on seven of his nine attempts from downtown.

There are going to be quiet games for Green, and that’s fine. The Lakers have Anthony Davis and LeBron James, so they don’t need the veteran wing to dump in truckloads of points on a per-game basis. All they need from him is leadership, smart defensive play and a reliable threat from 3-point range. Considering his recent clutch 3 against the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers are getting the latter.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1190480533010239489

Green may not be the third star Lake Show fans were hoping for. However, he’s giving the Lakers everything they signed him for and then some. The 32-year-old guard played a big role in the Toronto Raptors’ run to the championship last year – maybe he can do the same for Los Angeles in 2019-20.