Lakers News: Latest DeMarcus Cousins Rumors and Frank Vogel Praises Rajon Rondo
Looks like the DeMarcus Cousins era with the Los Angeles Lakers isn't over just yet.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Lakers "want to integrate Cousins back into the team's culture."
Charania also reported that Cousins, who signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract back in July, "is expected to be around the roster during the LeBron James-led minicamp in Las Vegas this week."
The fact that the team is unwilling to close the book on Cousins despite the torn ACL he suffered in mid-August and the allegation that he threatened his former girlfriend if she didn't allow their son to attend his wedding suggests he has a future with the organization.
In January 2018, Cousins went down with a torn Achilles while playing for the New Orleans Pelicans.
Before that injury, he was having an All-Star season alongside Anthony Davis in NOLA, where he averaged 25.2 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists in just 48 games.
Cousins then signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Golden State Warriors.
After a sluggish start, the two-time All-NBA selection started to jell with his new team, averaging 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
But then the injury bug struck again. During the first round of last year's playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers, Cousins tore his left quad.
He was out for 14 games but made a big splash in his second game back for the Warriors in a crucial Game 2 109-104 win against the Toronto Raptors in the Finals.
He scored 11 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out six assists after missing six weeks of action.
That game was evidence that Cousins, if healthy, could really contribute to a winning team, and that's why the Lakers signed him.
It will be a difficult task physically for Cousins to make yet another comeback from injury, but it will likely be even more difficult to recover from a third major injury mentally.
That could be one of the main reasons the Lakers are focused on reintegrating Cousins back into the fold.
The support from teammates and the organization could be just the push he'll need to make a triumphant return.
Rajon Rondo Gets Praise from Vogel
The Lakers are scheduled to have media day on Friday, but new head coach Frank Vogel couldn't wait until then to heap praise on his point guard.
"I think Rondo has shot the heck out of the basketball from the three-point line," Vogel told Mike Trudell of NBA.com.
Vogel was asked about players he'd observed working out at the Lakers' practice facility who had added a tool to their game that he didn't know about, and he took that opportunity to mention Rondo.
With Lonzo Ball gone to the Pelicans in a trade for Davis, Rondo was brought back to the team on a two-year, $2.6 million deal with a player option for the second year.
Rondo played extremely well with Davis in New Orleans, helping the Pelicans advance to the second round of the 2017-18 playoffs, where the Warriors eliminated them 4-1.
But that run reignited "Playoff Rondo" and solidified a relationship with Davis.
That connection will be crucial to Davis' integration into his new team.
Vogel is also not ready to give up on the one-two punch of Rondo and James.
"The Rondo and LeBron stuff was a little surprising to me," Vogel told Trudell when asked about the Rondo/James analytic rating when playing on the floor together. "Because they're obviously two of the game's greats, but in some ways also not surprising when you look at the environment around them in terms of the team's lack of shooting last year around those two guys.
"The pieces have got to fit, and we had a long conversation about that, and I actually expect it to be a complete reversal this year. I think those two guys will be great together."
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