When DeMarcus Cousins unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in the 2019 NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers pivoted to Dwight Howard to fill the void — a move that was met with plenty of doubt and skepticism.
Howard was coming off back surgery that prematurely ended his 2018-19 NBA season and after being waived by Memphis Grizzlies, he drew little to no interest in free agency.
However, Cousins’ injury opened up the door for a reunion with the Lakers and so far he has more than exceeded expectations due to his team-first mindset and willingness to accept his role.