Although he was a minor signing in the offseason, Quinn Cook was a welcomed addition to the Los Angeles Lakers.
A member of the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors team that went on to win the NBA Finals, Cook knows what it takes for a team to win a title and that kind of experience is valuable on a Lakers roster with title aspirations of their own.
Despite not playing a significant role during the 2019-20 NBA season, the guard was still able to show off his sweet jumper and ability to make plays off the dribble. Cook’s ability to knock down open threes gives him utility in certain situations and his ball handling can be utilized in a pinch.
Like the rest of his teammates, Cook was working out at home due the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that put the regular season on hold, but since training facilities were allowed to reopen, he has been back in the gym.
When asked about what format he would prefer for the playoffs, Cook said he would be open to the NBA abandoning conferences and ranking teams Nos. 1-16, according to Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer:
“I know the league has been trying to switch things up for a while, so I wouldn’t mind seeing a tournament with no seeding. I mean, not no seeding, but no conferences. I saw a bracket like where they have the Western Conference teams mixed with the Eastern Conference teams during the playoffs. That looked pretty cool.
“Maybe a play-in tournament for the couple of teams who have a chance to make it in—New Orleans, Portland, a couple of those teams, just to make it interesting and switch it up a little bit. I think this is a good time to try something new out.”
The proposals Cook mentioned are all being discussed, but the NBA has yet to fully endorse a plan as it weighs the pros and cons.
Although some executives reportedly believed NBA commissioner Adam Silver would use the unprecedented situation to implement changes he’s longed for, the league now appears to be on the verge of voting on a 22-team plan.
Regardless of the playoff format, the Lakers should still be considered a favorite for the 2020 NBA championship because of their chemistry and depth. The only question now being what type of path would they have to navigate in order to hoist the franchise’s 17th trophy.