The Los Angeles Lakers seem determined to add some depth to their frontcourt. On Thursday, it was reported that the Lakers are going to work out big man Meyers Leonard on Friday.
Free agent center Meyers Leonard will work out for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 12, 2023
It appears that the Lakers will be working out DeMarcus Cousins as well.
The Los Angeles Lakers will work out four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins on Friday, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 12, 2023
When it comes to Leonard’s NBA journey, his career was completely derailed back in 2021 when he uttered a disgusting anti-Semitic slur during a Twitch stream. He was immediately the subject of a media firestorm and was fined $50K and suspended by his team at the time, the Miami Heat.
He was ultimately traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder and promptly waived. He last logged minutes in an NBA game in January 2021.
Since the controversy, Leonard has done a lot of work off the court to try to make up for his misstep. He has seemingly connected with the Jewish community and seems to have really grown from the experience. It has to be an exciting time for him to get another shot to prove that he can produce on the NBA court.
As for the Lakers, they are probably intrigued by the possibility of adding a 30-year-old 7-footer with relatively low mileage on his body.
Though Leonard was never really a game-changer, he’s been a solid contributor. His best season arguably came in the 2019-20 season, when he started 49 of the 51 games he played in and averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
If he were added to the Lakers roster, he’d likely serve as yet another big body alongside Thomas Bryant and Anthony Davis, when the star returns from his current foot injury.
Cousins also coming in for a workout is likely more exciting to Lakers fans. Though Cousins has suffered numerous serious lower-body injuries and is no longer the player he once was, he still has a really incredible set of skills. At his peak, he was arguably the most dangerous big man in the league.
Last season, Cousins suited up for both the Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets. In 48 games (seven starts), he logged 9.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Interestingly, two of his most dominant seasons in the NBA came when he was teamed up with Davis on the New Orleans Pelicans.
He was a revelation in the 2017-18 season before he suffered a devastating Achilles tear. Prior to the injury, he was putting up 25.2 points, 12.9 boards, 5.4 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. Obviously, he would not be expected to achieve such production at this point, but reconnecting that Davis-Cousins duo is an enticing possibility.
It will be interesting to see if the team’s front office decides to offer either of the players a contract after the Friday workouts.
