DeMarcus Cousins has spent a majority of the 2019-20 season rehabbing a torn ACL as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. However, he was waived prior to the season being suspended in order to make room on the roster for Markieff Morris.
It was assumed that Cousins would finish his rehab at the Lakers facility before signing in the offseason. However, with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic throwing off the entire NBA schedule, Cousins now has until June 30 to possibly join a team that is bound for Orlando.
It was previously reported that Cousins would not sign anywhere and take the rest of the season off. But his agent has since stated Cousins is weighing all options, according to Tania Ganguli of The L.A. Times:
He has not ruled out signing with a team to finish out the season in the NBA bubble in Orlando, according to his agent, Jeff Schwartz. But it would have to be a situation in which he feels comfortable to play rather than continue his rehab.
While Lakers fans would undoubtedly love to bring Cousins back, it’s unlikely that his return would be with L.A., as they would need to waive someone in order to bring him on. Considering the way their roster looks now, re-signing Cousins simply wouldn’t make much sense.
One scenario in which Cousins could end up on the Lakers is if they first waive a player. They will be shorthanded as Avery Bradley informed the team he won’t join them when the NBA season resumes.
There are currently eight teams heading to Orlando that have an open roster spot :the L.A. Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers.
Teams like the Nuggets, Thunder, Clippers and Suns are pretty solid at the center position. Meanwhile, the Kings likely wouldn’t take a flier on Cousins given their history. That leaves the Spurs, Grizzlies and Trail Blazers who could possibly use Cousins should he be healthy enough to play.
Cousins’ health is the biggest factor in all of this. He’ll need to find a way to prove he’s healthy before the transaction window ends at 8:59 p.m. PT on June 30. If he can, he may get signed somewhere that he can play. If not, it’s likely best for him to wait until the 2020-21 season to give it another try.
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