Lakers Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins Trade Talk, Carlos Boozer Buzz and More

The Los Angeles Lakers are building a strong base of young talent, which was bolstered by drafting D'Angelo Russell with the second pick. Yet, there was hope they could accelerate the retooling process even further this offseason with a marquee signing or trade.

That hasn't happened so far and the number of available players capable of stepping into a major role is beginning to dwindle. It's reignited the popular debate about whether the Lakers' brand is starting to lose some of its longtime luster.

Beyond the search for more star power, Los Angeles also needs to make some depth pickups before next season. So let's check out some of the latest buzz surrounding the team a couple days into free agency.

DeMarcus Cousins

A Cousins trade to the Lakers seemed to pick up some steam leading up to the draft. He represented an ideal fit after averaging 24.1 points and 12.7 rebounds for the Sacramento Kings last season and L.A. had a lot of assets, including that No. 2 pick.

Ultimately, the sides couldn't come to an agreement and the Lakers drafted Russell over Jahlil Okafor, leaving a void in the low post. Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reports trade talks with the Kings haven't been rekindled:

They could still use a go-to player on the interior. Julius Randle is promising, but missing virtually his entire rookie campaign due to injury slowed the development process. The team will likely want to bring him along slowly.

It looks like they may be priced out of Cousins' range, though. The situation illustrates the difficulty of being caught between a full rebuild and still having Kobe Bryant on the roster, whose competitive fire still burns red hot.

Carlos Boozer

In his prime, Boozer could have filled the team's need for a top-end starter in the post. He was a double-double machine during his time with the Utah Jazz. His first season with the Lakers showed he's more of a complementary piece at this stage of his career.

The 33-year-old power forward checked in at 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, mostly while coming off the bench. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News notes the team is interested in bringing him back, but they face competition:

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Among the teams that expressed interest in re-signing him included the Lakers, Clippers, San Antonio, Portland, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Washington and Miami, according to a league source familiar with the situation.

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Many of the squads listed have been linked to the top post players on the market, such as LaMarcus Aldridge or DeAndre Jordan. That suggests Boozer is probably a popular plan B option should they be unable to land those main targets.

The Lakers pointed out after the season that the veteran wasn't ruling out a reunion. "If we can compete, I'd love to be back. I still want to win one before I retire," Boozer said. Based on those comments, he might want to see another upgrade or two before signing on.

Wayne Ellington

Ellington is another member of the rotation the Lakers are hopeful of bringing back. He started more games for L.A. last season (36) than he did during the first five years of his career combined (35). He responded by averaging double-digit points for just the second time.

The arrival of Russell and the return of Bryant from injury leaves Ellington's role less certain if he returned. Nevertheless, Medina reports the team did contact him about returning, but like Boozer, there's interest elsewhere as well:

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The Lakers contacted Ellington shortly after free agency began on Tuesday evening to express interest in retaining him, according to a league source familiar with the situation. Cleveland, Golden State, Washington, San Antonio and Atlanta also showed interest, a league source said, though Ellington hopes his future rests with the purple and gold.

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It's not a surprise a deal hasn't gotten done quite yet. The Lakers have been chasing other targets and the frontcourt is the top priority when it comes to depth signings as well. Ellington would qualify more as a luxury right now.

On the flip side, playing time could be a concern for the North Carolina product. He may wait to see how things play out if there's another place where he could make more of an impact next season. The situation is very much up in the air.