NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on DeMarcus Cousins, JR Smith and More
With the NBA's transaction window now open, several teams are searching for reinforcements to take into Orlando, Florida for the postseason.
Some teams have already made moves—the Brooklyn Nets, for example, added guard Tyler Johnson on Tuesday—while others are still weighing options.
One player who presumably won't be an option is free-agent center DeMarcus Cousins. The four-time All-Star suffered a torn ACL last August and was eventually waived by the Los Angeles Lakers to clear a roster spot.
However, John Wall of the Washington Wizards recently stated that Cousins was healthy enough to play.
"He's healthy," he told The Undefeated via Instagram. "I don't know if he'd play right now, but he's healthy."
Well, it appears the 29-year-old won't play, despite plenty of reported interest in him. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, he is instead focused on making a full return for the 2020-21 season:
Could a team change Cousins' mind between now and the official restart of the season? It's possible. However, after suffering a torn Achilles, a torn quad and a torn ACL within the last couple of years, he may understandably not want to rush his return.
This means the Lakers aren't going to have Cousins as a roster replacement for guard Avery Bradley, who has decided to opt out of the postseason.
This leaves Los Angeles with an open roster spot, which could ultimately be filled by free-agent guard JR Smith.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the 34-year-old has emerged as the favorite to replace Bradley in Los Angeles:
Smith previously played alongside LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was also spotted riding bicycles with James and Anthony Davis in May (h/t NBA on ESPN). So chemistry might not be a major issue if he is brought in to replace Bradley.
Teams Looking to Trade Down, Warriors Eyeing Haliburton
Only the top 22 NBA teams will participate in the restart, meaning teams like the Golden State Warriors—who have a league-worst 15-50 record—are already focused on the coming offseason and the draft.
What's interesting about this year's draft is that there isn't a consensus top prospect or even a collection of "safe" prospects at the top of the draft. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the draft class, teams aren't particularly eager to make a lottery selection.
"With no consensus regarding who the best prospects are, dropping out of the top three appears less costly this year," ESPN's Jonathan Givony wrote. "Several NBA executives have told me they would welcome it because of the question marks surrounding the top talents and the cost savings the rookie scale would provide."
Trading down in Round 1 could be ideal for the Warriors, who are reportedly interested in Iowa State point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
"There's talk that the Warriors are high on Tyrese Haliburton's ability to offer some of the things that Shaun Livingston did during Golden State's championship years," Givony wrote.
The Warriors shouldn't have to use a lottery pick to land Haliburton—provided they receive one. If another team is sold on a prospect like LaMelo Ball or James Wiseman, Golden State should be able to trade back, land additional draft capital and still get its man.
Don't be shocked if other teams are looking to take a similar approach as well.
