Lakers Rumors: DeMarcus Cousins Trade Being Discussed by Kings and LA

With time dwindling before the 2015 NBA draft gets going, the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings are ramping up discussions regarding a potential blockbuster trade centered around DeMarcus Cousins. 

According to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, "the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings exchanged possible frameworks of a trade centered on All-Star DeMarcus Cousins on Wednesday and discussions could intensify on Thursday." 

Wojnarowski passed along components of a potential trade between the Pacific Division rivals: 

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Kings vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac has pursued a possible deal that would include a bevvy of assets, including the Lakers' No. 2 pick in Thursday's NBA draft, rookies Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson and other draft assets, league sources told Yahoo Sports. Sacramento also would want to unload the remainder of forward Carl Landry's two years, $13.5 million contract, league sources said.

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Furthermore, the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina reports Cousins would prefer to lace up his kicks at Staples Center next season: 

Here's the kicker: According to Wojnarowski, the Lakers aren't thrilled with the idea of dealing Julius Randle or Jordan Clarkson in a deal that would net them Cousins. 

The Lakers are likely just playing hardball because they know head coach George Karl wants Cousins out of the picture, but it's difficult to see why Los Angeles would be hesitant to part with two relatively unproven youngsters for a top-10 cornerstone talent like Cousins. 

The 20-year-old Randle was selected No. 7 overall by the Lakers a year ago, and he fractured his right leg after playing just 14 minutes in his first professional game. Randle still has plenty of upside to offer, but his talent isn't refined enough to maximize the end of Kobe Bryant's career quite like Cousins can. 

The same can be said of Clarkson, who was recently named to the NBA's All-Rookie First Team behind averages of 11.9 points and 3.5 assists after getting drafted in the second round (No. 46 overall) a year ago.

Both Clarkson and Randle are fine youngsters, but it's not like the Lakers have anything else to offer the Kings other than the No. 2 overall pick and first-round picks down the line. Heck, L.A. doesn't even own its 2016 first-rounder, which is owed to the Philadelphia 76ers if it falls outside the top three picks. 

"If you're Los Angeles, though, you have to push back, at least at first," CBSSports.com's James Herbert wrote. "Sacramento doesn't have much leverage here. The Lakers' No. 1 priority has to be figuring out how to only give up one of Randle and the pick, not both."

But if all the Kings want are young, foundational talents in order to rid themselves of Cousins, the Lakers can't afford to bypass a golden opportunity.

Adding Cousins—who averaged an insane 24.1 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.7 blocks last season—would help maximize Bryant's waning days with the franchise while making it a more attractive long-term destination to free agents hitting the market this summer and next.

That's how you orchestrate a rapid rebuild.