Lakers Bringing in 4-Time All-Star for a Workout After Recent Plea: Report

Getty DeMarcus Cousins taking a shot.

Things are looking up for the Los Angeles Lakers as they climb up the Western Conference standings but they still have work to do to get back into the playoff. As each day passes, it seems less likely the team makes a substantial trade. They may have to look for upgrades on the free agent market. Thomas Bryant has been playing out of his mind since Anthony Davis got hurt but Damian Jones has been disappointing.

When Davis gets healthy, the team might be apprehensive to have him play too much center due to the physical nature of the position. That could lead to Bryant getting more minutes but the Lakers may not feel comfortable having Jones play. That may be evident by the team bringing in a veteran center for a workout. According to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Los Angeles is going to take a look at DeMarcus Cousins in the near future:

Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is expected to work out for the Los Angeles Lakers at some point next week, league sources tell Bleacher Report. The official date has yet to be determined, sources say.

He has been working out six days a week in Las Vegas. The free-agent center hopes to impress a Lakers franchise in evaluation mode. As of Jan. 5, teams are now allowed to sign players to 10-day contracts.

Should Lakers Sign Cousins?

There was a time when Cousins was arguably the best center in the NBA. He was named to four All-Star teams and two All-NBA teams. Unfortunately, injuries derailed what should’ve been a Hall of Fame career. He’s played for five different teams since 2018 and has had trouble sticking on an NBA roster. Cousins recently made a plea about getting another chance to play. It appears the Lakers heard that plea.

He was most recently with Denver Nuggets last season but no team has given him a chance this year. The 32-year-old big man is getting his best chance yet at a return with the Lakers. He spent some time with the team during the 2019-2020 season but couldn’t play in a single game due to injury. What works in his favor is that he was with the Milwaukee Bucks last season with current Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. The coach should know what Cousins has left in the tank. He’s not the dominant scorer he once was but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to give him a chance to play some games.

Davis Nearing a Return?

The Cousins workout wasn’t the only Lakers news Haynes dropped. He also offered an update on Davis’ injury status.

“Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis, who is rehabbing a stress injury to his right foot, will be taking a significant step forward in a few days by testing out his foot on the court in an individual workout, league sources tell Bleacher report,” Haynes wrote.

The Lakers have been able to keep the team afloat with Davis out. Getting him back would be a major boost. He’s been playing at an MVP level this season. Injuries have continued to hamper Davis throughout his career but his absence appears to be nearing its end. That’s great news for the Lakers as it looked like the big man could miss a lot more time after he went down.