The Los Angeles Lakers will need to put together a considerable package if they want to pry DeMarcus Cousins away from the Kings. Would Julius Randle and then some be enough to convince Sacramento’s brass?
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reports that the Lakers are willing to give up Randle, the No. 7 overall pick in last year’s draft, in a potential trade for Cousins. It’s unclear if Randle has been discussed as part of the three-team deal that has supposedly been floated between the Lakers, Kings and Orlando Magic.
Randle suffered a broken leg in his first career NBA game last year, which contributed to the Lakers having a horrendous season. The former Kentucky star is only 20 and has plenty of potential, but perhaps the Lakers would prefer to have a more proven big man like Cousins for what could be Kobe Bryant’s final NBA season.
That theory would also help explain why the Lakers might be willing to deal the No. 2 overall pick. With the Minnesota Timberwolves all but certain to select Karl-Anthony Towns at No. 1, it’s possible that LA is not all that high on former Duke star Jahlil Okafor. Not to mention, Cousins is only 24. If the Lakers believe they can get his attitude under control, they might see him as a better frontcourt addition.
Of course, this is all speculation. One thing that seems clear is that Kings coach George Karl wants to unload Cousins, though ownership’s unwillingness to do so could be attaching a price tag to Boogie that teams are unwilling to pay. We’ll know more in the next two days.
