It was as recently as right before the start of the current NBA season that the Los Angeles Lakers were connected to a possible trade for DeMarcus Cousins. Nothing ever came of it, and the big man has stayed with the Sacramento Kings, but it doesn’t mean the L.A. Lakers are done chasing him. New rumors have them going after the center once again and making a deal before the trade deadline.
Latin Post is reporting that there is a possibility the Lakers could pull the trigger on a three-team deal that could bring Cousins their way. It would involve the Kings, obviously, and the Orlando Magic to get things done as well.
Two of the biggest trade pieces the Lakers possess right now are Julius Randle and Nick Young. Randle is a great, young talent with a lot of upside. He could bring so much to a team that is looking for a strong player under the basket that can also get on the perimeter and knock them down.
Young is someone that was a huge topic of rumored trade discussion in the offseason. It just seemed like every single time you turned around, the Lakers were looking to trade away Young and get his declining production and salary away from the franchise.
Jordan Clarkson is also a possible trade option, but the upcoming offseason contract discussions may keep him in Los Angeles.
Cousins could really bring about some great leadership and talent to the Lakers. Roy Hibbert is a few years older than the 25-year-old Cousins, but their production on the court is like night and day.
This season for the Lakers, Hibbert is averaging just 6.9 points per game and 6.1 rebounds. Meanwhile, the Kings have Cousins averaging a double-double for them with 24.1 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per contest.
Sac Town Royalty does not believe that trading away DeMarcus Cousins is the answer for the Sacramento Kings. Yes, he has a bad attitude, can show true meltdowns, and leaves his obvious frustrations on his sleeve, but his talent may outweigh all of those things.
Sure, he’s butted heads with head coach George Karl on numerous occasions, but he’s not the long-term option as coach of the Kings. With a current record of 12-20, Karl may not even be around next season if enough improvement isn’t made to get the team into the playoffs.
No matter where DeMarcus Cousins is, an NBA team could be built around him. He’s a great talent that just needs to calm down a little bit and be a bit more level-headed of a leader instead of getting hot under the collar and letting his emotions get the most of him.
Kobe Bryant is retiring at the end of this season, and the L.A. Lakers will not be totally starting from scratch. They’ve got some young pieces in place and a few veterans to help them along the way, but no one that can step up into that leadership role.
Cousins has that potential and he would be the focus and key of a team that is going to need a face and a direction. The thing is, if the Lakers are going to truly attempt to land DeMarcus Cousins, then it needs to be done soon.
If the Sacramento Kings continue on their current path, they’ll be out of the playoff race before anyone even realizes it. That being said, it would mean George Karl is as good as definitely gone as head coach once the season ends, and there goes a lot of the frustrations that Cousins has with the organization.
Get rid of the cause of tension, keep one of your very best players.
The LA Lakers need to do something as the multiple offseason acquisitions aren’t really bringing about much of anything for this year. A trade with the Sacramento Kings for DeMarcus Cousins could really spark a fire under a team that is struggling mightily.
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