After losing three of their previous four games, the Los Angeles Lakers got a win on Sunday over the Orlando Magic, but they didn’t look that convincing in doing so.
With backup center Mo Bamba out due to a sprained ankle, they need help at that position, which has led them to schedule workouts for Tristan Thompson and Tony Bradley. However, they apparently do not have any interest in signing center DeMarcus Cousins.
Sources tell Lakers Daily that general manager Rob Pelinka is not a fan of Cousins. Apparently, he “left a bad taste in Pelinka’s mouth,” and the team is “adamant” about not signing him.
Cousins was once arguably the best center in the NBA several years ago, and he would consistently put up 25 points and 10 rebounds while also supplying a few assists and even a bit of defense.
But starting in the 2018-19 season, injuries robbed him of most of his ability. He suffered a torn Achilles and torn ACL in quick succession, and those injuries have rendered him a bench player over the last couple of seasons.
The Lakers actually signed Cousins in the summer of 2019 just prior to his ACL injury, and even though he never played in a single game for them, their fans have been clamoring for them to bring him back ever since.
The problem with Cousins, other than his greatly diminished game, is his attitude, which has left a bad taste in the mouths of at least one of the teams he has played for.
He hasn’t played yet this season, and at age 32, the clock may be ticking for him to find another opportunity in the NBA.
With Bamba out, the Lakers have been forced to play Wenyen Gabriel, who is just 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds, at the 5 when Anthony Davis hasn’t been in the game, which has made them very undersized in the frontcourt.
With 10 regular season games left, they will need to find a way to play very strong and consistent ball the rest of the way, whether they sign another center or not.
