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#2 LA Lakers
The LA Lakers acquired DeMarcus Cousins ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season. But the big man was ruled out for the entire campaign because of an injury and did not take the court for the Purple and Gold. The Lakers were in the market for Cousins this season as well but chose to acquire Andre Drummond instead.
While Cousins won't help the Lakers improve massively at the defensive end, his size is still intimidating at that end, something that isn't easy to deal with for opponents. Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell both did not turn out the kind of performances the Lakers hoped from them, so Cousins could be a target worth pursuing for the team
Cousins is still a decent three-point shooter and could gel well with the likes of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who work best with big men who can move around. Cousins showed with the LA Clippers this season that he can offer quick-scoring punches off the bench, something the Lakers could certainly benefit from.
Moreover, the 2020 NBA champions do not have much flexibility with their cap situation. DeMarcus Cousins would be a cheaper yet highly efficient option in the market for them, in that perspective.
Lakeshow don't have many trade assets either, which limits them from entering the trade market to acquire a dominant backup center.
#1 LA Clippers
Like the LA Lakers, the LA Clippers will likely struggle with cap space too. Re-signing DeMarcus Cousins will be necessary for multiple other reasons as well.
Serge Ibaka could exercise his player option this summer after returning from back surgery. Ivica Zubac will likely play a prominent role in that case, which makes it necessary to have another big in the form of Cousins to provide cover.
Cousins could fill in the way he did during the playoffs and could even regain some form during the regular season. He has already been a part of the Clippers, which should make things easier for him, the rest of the players and Ty Lue to find a role for Cousins in the roster.
DeMarcus Cousins averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds, which are respectable numbers considering that the player featured in only 17.4 minutes per game during the 2020-21 season.
