DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : Getty Images/Ezra Shaw)
The Los Angeles Lakers may have failed to bring in their top free-agent targets this summer, but many analysts the franchise is not yet done making moves. In fact, there's an argument that the Lakers have the pieces in place to pull off a trade with the Sacramento Kings for coveted center DeMarcus Cousins.
For fourth consecutive offseason, the Lakers appear to have failed again in landing an elite free-agent. Kevin Durant, the man on top of every team's wish list, did not even bother to schedule a meeting with the Lakers, while big man Al Horford decided to sign with the Boston Celtics on a four-year max deal.
Many analysts consider this a disaster of epic proportion, considering the Lakers' reputation as swanky destination for top-level free-agents in the past. But that isn't the case anymore in this particular era, where winning becomes the premium over big money for free-agents.
Still, not all hope is lost for the Lakers. With the pieces they accumulated through drafts and this year's free-agents, they can still come through with a massive transaction that would make the franchise appealing again for future free-agents. And believe it or not, there's no bigger deal out there for the purple-and-gold than the DeMarcus Cousins trade.
Acquiring Cousins ain't anymore complicated:
The Lakers attempted a number of times already to snag the mercurial but super-talented big man from the Kings. Then again, the lack of tradable assets have somewhat prevented them from pulling the trigger.
However, after signing several players to contracts, the Lakers actually have an enticing trade proposal for the Kings to consider. The trade package still revolves around D'Angelo Russell, the no.2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, and possibly a couple of veterans like Timofey Mozgov (4-year, $64 million) and Lou Williams with a future first-round pick as a sweetener.
While Russell is a diamond in the rough, many NBA insiders believe the Lakers are willing to part ways with the prodigious playmaker as long as they can nab a superstar like Cousins.
Moreover, the Kings seem ready to push the re-start button after losing most of its backcourt (Rajon Rondo, Seth Curry) to free-agency. At last month's draft, the Kings selected 7-foot-2 big man Georgios Papagiannis with the 13th pick, which many analysts consider an insurance move should they part ways with Cousins.
In short, Cousins is no longer untouchable. A trade for the double-double machine can happen anytime, and expect the Lakers to re-enter the scene with a much better package on the table.
