Lakers Forward Reacts to DeMarcus Cousins Choosing to Sit Out for Rest of Season

DeMarcus Cousins’ decision to sit out the NBA’s planned resumption of the season is being strongly endorsed by Los Angeles Lakers veteran Jared Dudley.

Cousins was expected to be part of the Lakers’ roster this season after signing a one-year contract last year. However, last August, a torn ACL eliminated him for what was supposed to be most of the 2019-20 campaign.

In February of this year, Cousins was waived by the Lakers in order to make room for Markieff Morris. Despite that, Cousins was reportedly open to re-signing with the Lakers during the offseason.

That timetable changed when the NBA suspended play on March 11 and then made plans to resume the current season at the end of next month.

The 29-year-old Cousins has played little since suffering a torn Achilles in January 2018, when he was a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.

During the subsequent offseason, Cousins signed a one-year contract with the Golden State Warriors, where he saw action in 30 regular season games, before missing most of the postseason due to injury.

That rough recent history, coupled with the uncertainty about safety protocols in place for the NBA’s resumption, undoubtedly has led Cousins to simply try to get back to full health before returning to the court.

Right now, there’s no official starting date for the 2020-21 NBA season, but a December date seemingly is the most likely time to open the campaign. There is no guarantee that Cousins will be wearing a Lakers uniform when that happens, but if he is, he should be ready to contribute.