Lakers Rumors: Latest on DeMarcus Cousins, Potential Draft Trades and More
It seems the Los Angeles Lakers just pulled back the curtains on the master plan—DeMarcus Cousins.
Everyone who has even a smidgen of know-how when it comes to the Association knew general manger Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers weren't going to just sit around and not swing for the fences at some point.
Last year, the team landed a top-five selection and took Kentucky's Julius Randle. This year, the team touts another top-five selection and a core continuing to look on the upswing. It seemed a matter of time before the front office went all-in on either the trade or free-agency market.
The new juggernauts of the rumor mill are here. Let's take a look at the latest below, because the team's alleged desire for one of the league's best big men is far from the only nugget making the rounds.
Trading Draft Pick(s)?
With all the hype around the Lakers clutching the No. 2 pick in this week's draft, it's quite easy to forget the team still owns No. 27, too, via the Houston Rockets.
It's an interesting situation for the front office to find itself in, barring a move. The spot means the team could land an experienced collegiate player who could function as key depth, but it also means a prospect soaks up cap room.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders shares the report:
While "out of" may seem to imply a trade down, keep in mind the Lakers could always go the opposite direction and package No. 27 with a second-round selection to move up in the first round and grab a prospect they like.
If Los Angeles feels comfortable with its cap situation, two rookies, perhaps both coming in the first half of the opening round, would work wonders for the long-term outlook.
Of course, the Lakers have to want to stick to this strategy as opposed to the instant-gratification ways of free agency.
Either way, there's one lesson here—the Lakers have options near the tail end of the first round. Whether it means dumping the pick to save cash, moving up for a prospect or standing pat remains up for debate.
The Pursuit of Lou Williams
While all the chatter suggests the Lakers remain focused on issues underneath the basket, rest assured the team isn't ignoring the backcourt after the failed Jeremy Lin experiment.
There's no chance the Lakers go into next season with a starting duo of Jordan Clarkson and Wayne Ellington or Nick Young, but a rookie might not get the job done, either.
There's always free agency, where it sounds like the Lakers will have an interest in former Toronto Raptors star Lou Williams, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com:
"Lou Williams is expected to receive strong interest from teams that include the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, providing a clear competition for the Toronto Raptors to retain the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year, league sources told RealGM.
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Williams would provide an upgrade, to say the least. At 28 years old, Williams bounced back from a knee injury last season with averages of 15.5 points, 2.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds with a player efficiency rating of 19.90, per ESPN.com.
Entrusting the flow of the offense to a veteran such as Williams as opposed to an inexperienced rookie makes sense, especially if the Lakers want to compete for the postseason right away while also building a foundation for the future.
The veteran would give the Lakers the necessary flexibility, although they won't be the only team interested in his services by a long shot.
The DeMarcus Cousins Situation
Now for the grand finale.
Los Angeles gets linked to anyone and everyone. As far as future years go, folks love to throw out names such as Kevin Durant and the like. It's Los Angeles, a franchise with supposed immense buying power with big names even after the Dwight Howard debacle.
So here it goes again, this time with Cousins. According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Lakers are one of the hottest suitors for the star big man:
"The Los Angeles Lakers have emerged as one of the most determined trade suitors for Sacramento Kings All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN that the Lakers have been actively pursuing trade scenarios in recent weeks in attempt to construct a deal that would convince the Kings to part with Cousins.
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It's no secret the Sacramento Kings may or may not want to move Cousins. He's erratic, and selling such a powerful name as he approaches his prime would jump-start a rebuild.
Although he notes the front office continues to say otherwise, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports Kings coach George Karl would like to ship Cousins away.
In other words, now would be the time for the Lakers to make an offer the Kings cannot refuse. Last season alone, Cousins averaged 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game with a 25.29 PER. Keep in mind he's just 24 years old, too.
Also keep in mind the Lakers wouldn't be able to pull off a potential deal until after Thursday's draft due to league rules and the fact their 2016 pick belongs to another team.
In theory, though, Cousins fixes many problems for the Lakers, should the organization want to give up on what so far looks like a promising rebuild. With the Kentucky product in the fold, the next step would be to use his presence to lure a major free agent to town as soon as this offseason to get back into the thick of things in the Western Conference.
It's a lot of "ifs," though. The Kings will have to want to play ball, too. Regardless of what unfolds, the draft and Los Angeles' future just got quite a bit more interesting.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
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