Getty DeMarcus Cousins.
Once the Los Angeles Lakers landed Andre Drummond in free agency, it closed the door on DeMarcus Cousins reunion. There’s been chatter surrounding the former All-Star joining back up with the team but it’s clear that the purple and gold weren’t all that interested. Despite the fact that he is no longer the same player he once was, Cousins could still make plays from time to time.
The Clippers know that and it looks like they’ll be swooping up the big man. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the team plans to sign Cousins once he clears the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Los Angeles Clippers plan to sign center DeMarcus Cousins, pending clearance of NBA health and safety protocols, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the contract will only be for 10 days and the Clippers are hoping he’ll be the third center behind Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubac.
Cousins went from being arguably the NBA’s best center to a third-string center. Injuries have really hampered his career. While the Lakers don’t want to see the Clippers have success, it would be nice to see “Boogie” find a role with a team.
The latest Los Angeles Lakers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Lakers newsletter here!
Clippers Adding Size
What’s interesting about this move is that it shows the Clippers’ commitment to getting bigger. Last season, the team didn’t have a solid rim protector and got eaten alive by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs. The Lakers are the best team in the Western Conference and they just got more size with the Drummond signing.
The Cousins signing could be a reaction to the Lakers adding a star big man. Between Drummond, Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell, the team has a very talented group of bigs. The Clippers will have a very hard time competing with the Lakers if their frontcourt is lacking. As of right now, it’s hard to know if Cousins will bring the team much. He’s averaging a career-low 9.6 points a game this season and probably won’t be getting a ton of minutes. The move could pay off for the Clippers but it’s difficult to imagine he’ll be a big impact player for the team.
Drummond Making Lakers Debut
While the Clippers will have to wait a bit longer for Cousins’ debut, the Lakers won’t have to wait at all for Drummond’s. The big man will start on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Though he hasn’t played in weeks, the two-time All-Star has stayed in shape. Considering the Lakers are missing their two best players in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the team needs all the help they can get. Drummond is excited about the opportunity to play for one of the most legendary franchises in sports.
“Man, it’s an honor,” Drummond said of playing with the Lakers Tuesday. “It’s an honor to be in this facility, to be able to step onto that court where these legends have played and built such an incredible legacy here in L.A. So, it’s a lot of excitement for me to be here.”
READ NEXT: All-Star Guard Preferred to Get Traded to Team Other Than Lakers: Report