After Kawhi Leonard signed a four-year, $142 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers have quickly moved forward with their Plan B in free agency.
Although Leonard took nearly a week to make his decision, the Lakers had to wait for one of the three best players in the league, but there were still good players available.
Along with re-signing JaVale McGee and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Los Angeles also signed Danny Green and Quinn Cook to go along with Troy Daniels and Jared Dudley.
DeMarcus Cousins reportedly has signed a one-year deal with the Lakers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent center DeMarcus Cousins, and have brought back point guard Rajon Rondo on a two-year deal, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.
Agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports told ESPN Cousins’ deal is worth $3.5 million.
While Cousins received interest from the Miami Heat, Anthony Davis recruited him to Los Angeles:
The Miami Heat had interest in Cousins, but several Lakers players — including Anthony Davis — helped convince him to join the Lakers, league sources told ESPN.
For Cousins, it has not been an easy past year with the two significant injuries with the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State Warriors. As the 28-year-old was on the brink of a max deal, the hope is he can return to his All-Star form.
In addition to the new opportunity, Cousins will be reunited with Davis and Rajon Rondo during their brief time together on the Pelicans during the 2017-18 NBA season.
As it was clear Cousins was not fully healthy when he returned against the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals, the hope is he will be when training camp starts.
In his first offseason running the team’s front office, general manager Rob Pelinka has done a solid job of filling out the roster considering the circumstances. Instead of tough-minded playmakers, they have added good talent.