When the Lakers signed Thomas Bryant this offseason, it was a gamble that the big man would refind his pre-injury form. It wasn’t a particularly big gamble as it was a veteran’s minimum contract but Bryant’s role was expected to be a big one if things played out ideally.
Even the best-case scenarios, though, likely didn’t plan for this level of production from Bryant. With Anthony Davis out, Bryant has ascended and not just kept the Lakers competitive but has kept them winning. It’s been quite the story for a number of reasons, none bigger than how far Bryan has come since suffering a torn ACL a little more than two years ago.