The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to be busy in the offseason and getting a big man to man the paint is a priority. Despite falling short of getting his services, Anthony Davis is expected to remain a target for the purple and gold.
It remains to be seen if the Lakers can get a deal together for the 25-year-old center. In case pieces fail to fall, there are a couple of other NBA stars the Lakers can also take aim at. They are DeAndre Jordan and DeMarcus Cousins.
After the NBA trade deadline last month, Jordan was linked to the Lakers. Currently, with the New York Knicks, the only way Los Angeles would be able to get their hands on the 30-year-old center was if he would be bought out by the Knicks. That never happened although the scenario could be different come the NBA offseason.
Jordan could be a fine addition as the Lakers continue to look for a big man that can fill in the middle. Although Los Angeles has JaVale McGee and Tyson Chandler at the moment, there is no assurance that both NBA vets will still be around once the 2018-19 NBA season wraps up.
Like Jordan, Cousins was also previously linked to the Lakers. In July of last year, Los Angeles had the chance to get Boogie but passed on a reported one-year deal worth $5.3 million. Instead, the temperamental big man ended up joining the Golden State Warriors, ABS-CBN News said.
It is worth noting that at the time, Cousins was still recuperating from an Achilles injury he sustained in January 2018. It may be possible that the Lakers were apprehensive since signing Cousins to a one-year deal would have been a gamble since there is no telling how fast he would heal up. Apparently, the answer to that question was answered when Boogie eventually suited up for the Warriors this season.
The Lakers could revisit a deal with Cousins after this season although the stakes may be higher. He has shown that he is still a force to reckon with – particularly down low.
With Cousins back in shape, he is likely to look for a max contract this time around. The Lakers could be studying that possibility right now and dangle a contract once the current NBA season ends.
It all depends on the plans of the Knicks and the Warriors on Jordan and Cousins. If both fail to reach an agreement, expect the Lakers to come knocking.
