When the Los Angeles Lakers used their taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Lonnie Walker IV over the summer, it was a head-scratching move for many fans and observers.
His potential was clear, but in four NBA seasons, all with the San Antonio Spurs, he had been maddeningly inconsistent on both ends of the floor and had never shot at least 43 percent from the field for an entire year.
But so far this season, the 6-foot-4 guard has been a revelation for head coach Darvin Ham, and this development has been a huge boon for a team that had little depth or trade capital last season.