NBA Rumors: Should Lakers, Nets Take A Second Look At Idle Big Man?

NBA teams are expected to try their luck on a couple of centers that were bought out by their teams: Andre Drummond and LaMarcus Aldridge. However, before the two behemoths hit the free agent market, DeMarcus Cousins was the one name that may have been forgotten.

Cousins was officially waived by the Houston Rockets in February, and pundits thought that NBA teams would offer him a contract. Almost a month later, however, nothing close to that has happened. The attention was on the NBA trade deadline and now the buyout market. Will “Boogie” get his chance soon?

The four-time All-Star center recently reminded everyone that he is still available and more than ready to play. He shared a video on Twitter showing that he remains a dominant force. The only thing worth noting about that clip is that Cousins was not playing against top-tier players.

A reason behind the snub is perhaps NBA teams are wary of taking him in because of his spate of injuries. That has contributed to his dip in performance over the last couple of years.

Before he was cut, Cousins played in 25 games, averaging 9.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 20.2 minutes of action. These are way below the usual numbers that a healthy Cousins can usually provide to any NBA club.

The fifth overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft has struggled with injuries in the past seasons, something that forced him to the sidelines. He missed the entire 2019-20 NBA season due to an ACL injury. Had he played, he would have won his first NBA ring with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The fortunes of the temperamental big man could change once the cases of Drummond and Aldridge are settled. Though his durability is questioned, there is no denying he can still help any team. He could start by playing backup center and then work his way up.

A team that could make sense would be the Lakers, for which he almost suited up before going down with an injury. Los Angeles is in a bind right now and needs able bodies to fill up slots. But with the purple and gold dialed in on Drummond, Cousins may have to wait a little bit more for a chance to return to the basketball court.