Compared to the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins’ name hasn’t shown up in too many NBA trade rumors, despite his being one of the higher-profile players set to enter free agency this offseason. While recent reports suggest that the New Orleans Pelicans are serious on re-signing him, there are still some sources that believe the talented big man may be better off signing with another team, with the Los Angeles Lakers being one possibility.
In an opinion piece published Thursday, NBA rumor blog Sir Charles in Charge wrote that sending Cousins to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal “makes sense,” as rumors have pointed to the Lakers going for a “big fish” in free agency in the upcoming offseason. For the past few months, LeBron James and Paul George have been the two biggest names reportedly being targeted by the Lakers, as noted last month by Bleacher Report , but Sir Charles in Charge posited that Cousins could also qualify as a high-profile free agent signing, and someone who could help attract other top free agents to the Lakers in subsequent summers.
Assuming DeMarcus Cousins goes to the Los Angeles Lakers via sign-and-trade, the hypothetical scenario would require the team to offer something attractive to the New Orleans Pelicans in return for the eight-year veteran. According to Sir Charles in Charge , the best possible deal would involve the Lakers sending young power forward Julius Randle and a draft pick to the Pelicans, as Randle could provide New Orleans with another quality big man to work alongside All-NBA center/forward Anthony Davis. Despite a slow start to the 2017-18 NBA season, the 23-year-old Randle averaged a career-best 16.1 points on 55.8 percent field goal shooting, as well as 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.
The Summer of Boogie. What does the future hold for Pelicans and DeMarcus Cousins? https://t.co/ztY8iG924p pic.twitter.com/ntv4IVU3GR
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 9, 2018
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , the 27-year-old Cousins looks to be a priority for the New Orleans Pelicans this summer, with head coach Alvin Gentry intent on re-signing the young veteran despite the potentially tough competition from other NBA teams. Cousins averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 48 games for the Pelicans, before a torn left Achilles tendon ended his season prematurely in January. Despite his injury, New Orleans finished with a 49-33 record in the regular season, and made it to the second round of the playoffs before getting eliminated in five games by the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
