Lakers Rumors: Analyzing DeMarcus Cousins Trade Talk, Draft Outlook

The Los Angeles Lakers roster is going to look different by the end of Thursday night. Exactly how much it will be overhauled depends on whether the front office decides to aggressively pursue a trade for Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins.

As of now, the Lakers own three picks in the 2015 NBA draft (Nos. 2, 27 and 34). They could simply stand pat, choose a potential franchise cornerstone with the second overall selection and then take advantage of the class' depth with the latter picks.

Or general manager Mitch Kupchak and Co. can try to accelerate the rebuilding effort by attempting to acquire Cousins. The 24-year-old center ranked ninth in the NBA in player efficiency rating last season, via ESPN.com, and is just heading into his prime.

That option would cost Los Angeles several of the assets it has accumulated, though.

Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports explained the Lakers and Kings at least discussed the framework of a possible trade, and Sacramento's asking price is predictably sky-high:

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Kings vice president of basketball operations Vlade Divac has pursued a possible deal that would include a bevy 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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Even with the understanding Cousins wouldn't come cheap, that's an eye-popping amount of young talent to give up and essentially amounts to the Lakers going all in on the Kentucky product. Taking on Landry's contract, further decreasing their offseason flexibility, can't be overlooked, either.

If the Kings don't budge off any of those requests, it seems more likely Los Angeles will just maintain its current rebuilding course.

Even if the Lakers keep the No. 2 pick, there's no guarantee concerning which direction they will go. Duke center Jahlil Okafor has long felt like the best fit with the least risk, assuming Karl-Anthony Towns goes first, but it's far from a lock.

Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding notes the team likes Okafor, but late word out of the organization suggests another player may have surpassed him: "Although the Lakers respect Jahlil Okafor's size and skill (his defensive potential, not so much), momentum and consensus have been growing in the front office that [D'Angelo] Russell, not Okafor, is the special one."

The Ohio State point guard has long been ticketed to the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3. Now he might not even be available, as the Lakers apparently may look to upgrade on the perimeter instead of going with one of the coveted centers.

Those aren't the only two options, though. Marc Stein of ESPN previously reported strong workouts from Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis forced teams to take notice:

That's more of a long-shot option but one that's still worth keeping in mind with what could become a hectic draft night just hours away.

Ultimately, Kupchak told Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times earlier in the month that he'll make the final call about what to do.

"It's going to be my decision, with the support of ownership," Kupchak said. "I'll talk to our scouts. Jimmy [Buss] and I will talk. We talk every day. He'll give his opinion, but it's rare when we have varying opinions."

All signs point to this becoming a memorable night for the NBA from an entertainment perspective. The lack of certainty starting right at the top of the draft creates the potential for some big moves, including a possible blockbuster involving Cousins.

The biggest thing for the Los Angeles front office to remember is no single move it pulls off today can make the Lakers immediate title contenders. Kobe Bryant is no longer at a point of his career where you can stick a top big man next to him, surround them with a few depth pieces and expect to win big.

So while there's no doubt Cousins is an enticing trade target, the return package would need to come back to earth from what's being rumored to make it a smart move. Otherwise, Los Angeles is best off building on its base of young talent with a long-term view in mind.

After a forgettable season, tonight should be a lot of fun for Lakers fans.