Lakers Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins Should Be An Option For Los Angeles, According To ‘LA Sports Hub’
The Los Angeles Lakers are continuously being linked to Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James and Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Paul George. However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Lakers will successfully convince both superstars to move to Hollywood next season.
George has sent mixed signals over the past several months, but there is still a growing speculation that he will strongly consider a Los Angeles homecoming in the offseason. James, on the other hand, will still be connected to the Lakers until he makes a decision this summer.
Building the team around James and George is still the best option for the Lakers. But if James decides to stay in Cleveland or sign elsewhere, Jason Reed of LA Sports Hub said that Los Angeles should make a run at DeMarcus Cousins, who will also become a free agent this summer, to form the “second-best” super team that they can assemble in the offseason.
Cousins has long been linked to the Lakers even during his days with the Sacramento Kings. However, the 27-year-old center absorbed a huge blow this season after sustaining a ruptured left Achilles tendon. The injury could benefit teams interested in his service because he might become open to accepting a non-max contract.
There is a lot of questions surrounding Cousins’ future after recovering from the Achilles injury, but Reed is still convinced that the Lakers should take a gamble on the superstar center. Before Cousins went down, he said that he was a firm believer that the Paul George-DeMarcus Cousins tandem is the best option for Los Angeles.
Reed pointed out that most of the great Lakers team had dominant centers on the roster like Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum. Cousins could also thrive playing alongside Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and George if ever they successfully convince the Thunder forward to sign this summer.
Although it remains to be seen how his injury will affect his game in the future, Cousins is still arguably the most dominant center in the league. Before the injury, the former Kentucky standout averaged 25.2 points and 12.9 rebounds on top of 1.6 blocks and 1.6 steals per game.
Cousins, who was voted to start in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game but failed to play due to the injury, underwent surgery last month. According to ESPN, the four-time NBA All-Star is expected to make a full recovery, but there is still no timetable for his return.
