NBA Rumors: Latest on DeMarcus Cousins, Markieff Morris and Hassan Whiteside
One of the few markets left to explore in NBA free agency is experienced big men.
DeMarcus Cousins, Markieff Morris and Hassan Whiteside are among the best names left after the three-day free-agent frenzy in which most of the top available players agreed to contracts.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are among the teams looking for interior help, and they could be in direct competition for Morris.
Cousins may have the most difficult time of the three finding a team because of his age and injury history, while Whiteside is not expected to get the massive four-year deal that he earned last time as a free agent.
Although they are not the most coveted free agents, the trio of big men certainly can still play a key role down low, especially on teams with championship aspirations.
DeMarcus Cousins
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According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Cousins was "getting some early attention" when free agency opened Friday.
The early signs of interest have to be a positive development for Cousins, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL.
With the long list of injuries he suffered over the last few years, Cousins will most likely have to ink a one-year deal worth a small amount of cash.
Cousins averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game during his 30-game stint with the Golden State Warriors two seasons ago. That was a drop-off from the double-double form he had in his final two years with the New Orleans Pelicans.
The 30-year-old is no longer a double-double machine, but if he recovers well from the injury, he may put up decent numbers off the bench.
Contenders looking to fill the backup center role may take a flier on Cousins, but if they do so, it would be done with a low-risk, high-reward contract strategy.
Hassan Whiteside
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The Sacramento Kings have reportedly shown some interest in Whiteside.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst talked about the potential connection on The Jump, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee.
NBC Sports Bay Area's James Ham confirmed the rumors of interest in the center who played for the Portland Trail Blazers last season.
Whiteside is coming off a productive season in Portland with 15.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.
He will still play an important role wherever he lands, but he likely is not worth the four-year, $98 million deal he received from the Miami Heat in 2016.
Whiteside would be a decent fit in Sacramento since the Kings do not have a true center on their current roster, but they may not want to pay a good chunk of money to land a post player.
That is the challenge Whiteside faces across the league. Of course, he wants to maximize his value, but centers are not valued as much as they were a few years ago and that could drop his contract demands.
Markieff Morris
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Marc Stein of the New York Times reported the Lakers and Clippers were "trying to sign" Morris.
Morris came off the bench for the Lakers in their title-winning campaign, and he could serve in a similar role behind Anthony Davis and the newly signed Montrezl Harrell.
Morris' experience would be a nice complement to the Lakers' crop of free-agent signings that includes Harrell and Dennis Schroder.
The Lakers could use Morris in a similar role as last season, when he averaged 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds per game in 14.2 minutes per contest.
The Clippers need help down low after Harrell opted to play for their cross-town rival, but Morris may be inclined to remain with the Lakers to stay in a familiar role and system and chase another title alongside Davis and LeBron James.
Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference.
