Deandre Ayton’s NBA career has fallen short of expectations so far.

He was selected first overall by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA Draft, notably ahead of Luka Doncic who blossomed into one of the best players in the league and is now his teammate on the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ayton himself has not been able to become more than just a supporting player in the NBA and rumblings that he has a poor attitude soon emerged over the past few years. This led to the Portland Trail Blazers buying him out this past offseason which paved the way for him to join Los Angeles on a team-friendly two-year, $16.6 million deal.

While Ayton is unlikely to ever live up to the expectations that came with his lofty draft selection, Doncic, who was drafted two spots after him, has helped him regain some footing in their first season together with the Lakers.

The gravity of Doncic on the offensive end tends to open up the inside for his teammates, particularly centers such as Ayton. Furthermore, the passing ability of Doncic and Austin Reaves helps Los Angeles capitalize on the opportunities given to them by opponents, which includes feeding the ball to Ayton for easy baskets inside.

In effect, Ayton is averaging 15.9 points on a career-high 69.2% field goal shooting through his first 12 games this season. While his numbers are still below what he achieved during his first five seasons in the league with the Phoenix Suns, the progress that he has made is significant. He has embraced his role as a roll man for this team and as he grows more comfortable playing alongside Doncic, his numbers should see an uptick as well.

Ayton is finding his groove with the Lakers this November—opening the month with 29 points against the team that waived him, then following up with 20 points on 10-of-11 shooting and 16 rebounds in the win over the New Orleans Pelicans, making him the franchise’s first player since Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 to have a game with at least 20 points on 90% shooting with 15 rebounds.

If Ayton can continue being a decisive pick-and-roll partner for Doncic, then Los Angeles just might emerge as a legitimate contender in the West. He has all of the physical tools–and even skills–to become a top center in the league if he can stay focused. These Lakers need Ayton at his best and the signs, at least for now, are more than encouraging.